| What is ammonia? | | | | is important to wash eyes and skin as quickly as |
| Ammonia is one of the most widely produced | | | | possible with large amounts of water. There is no |
| chemicals in the United States. In pure form, it is | | | | antidote for ammonia poisoning, but ammonia's |
| known as anhydrous ammonia. Ammonia is also | | | | effects can be treated, and most victims recover. |
| produced in the human body and is commonly found | | | | People who experience serious signs and symptoms |
| in nature. It is essential in the body as a building block | | | | (such as severe or constant coughing, or burns in the |
| for making proteins and other complex molecules. In | | | | throat) may need hospital care. |
| nature, ammonia occurs in soil from bacterial | | | | The EPA's Top Ten cleaning Ingredients To Avoid |
| processes. It is also produced when plants, and animal | | | | 1. Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APEs): common in |
| wastes decay. | | | | detergents and disinfectants and are suspected |
| What are the properties of ammonia? | | | | hormone disruptors. |
| Ammonia is a colorless highly irritating gas with a | | | | 2. Ammonia: poisonous when swallowed, extremely |
| sharp suffocating odor. It dissolves easily in water to | | | | irritating to respiratory passages when inhaled and |
| form ammonium hydroxide solution which can cause | | | | can burn the skin on contact. |
| irritation and burns. Ammonia gas is easily compressed | | | | 3. Indiscriminate use of antibacterial cleaners |
| and forms a clear, colorless liquid under pressure. It is | | | | containing Triclosan may be contributing to the rise of |
| usually shipped as a compressed liquid in steel | | | | antibiotic-resistant germs. |
| cylinders. Ammonia is not highly flammable, but | | | | 4. Butyl Cellosolve (aka butyl glycol, ethylene glycol |
| containers of ammonia may explode when exposed | | | | monobutyl): poisonous when swallowed and a |
| to high heat. | | | | lung-tissue irritant. |
| How does ammonia act in the body? | | | | 5. Chlorine Bleach (aka sodium hypochlorite): an |
| When ammonia enters the body as a result of | | | | all-purpose whitening agent, can irritate the lungs and |
| breathing, swallowing or skin contact, it reacts with | | | | eyes and in waterways can become toxic. |
| water to produce ammonium hydroxide. This chemical | | | | 6. Diethanolamine (DEA): can combine with nitrosomes |
| is very corrosive and damages cells in the body on | | | | (often-undisclosed preservatives) to produce |
| contact. | | | | carcinogenic nitrosamines that penetrate skin. |
| What are the specific signs and symptoms of | | | | 7. Fragrances frequently contain Phthalates, chemicals |
| ammonia poisoning? | | | | linked to reproductive abnormalities and liver cancer in |
| Ammonia is corrosive. The severity of health effects | | | | lab animals and to asthma in children. |
| depends on the route of exposure, the dose and the | | | | 8. Phosphates: soften water for detergents but |
| duration of exposure. Exposure to high | | | | contribute to algae blooms in our waterways, which |
| concentrations of ammonia in air causes immediate | | | | can kill off fish populations. |
| burning of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory | | | | 9. Sodium Hydroxide: found in drain, metal and oven |
| tract and can result in blindness, lung damage or | | | | cleaners, is extremely irritating to the eyes, nose and |
| death. Inhalation of lower concentrations can cause | | | | throat, and can burn those tissues on contact. |
| coughing, and nose and throat irritation. | | | | 10. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: a common sudsing agent, |
| How is ammonia poisoning treated? | | | | can penetrate the skin and cause contact dermatitis. |
| To reduce the effects from exposure to ammonia, it | | | | |