What is ammonium nitrate? How does ammonium nitrate detonate?
Ammonium nitrate is used as fertilizers because it contains a high amount of nitrogen and is also used as an explosive mixture for mining, construction purposes
- World News
- 2 min read
Lebanon's capital Beirut was rocked by an explosion on August 4, killing at least 135 people and injuring 5,000 others. The incident that took place at Beirut post resulted in the government declaring a two-week state of emergency in the city. An investigation into the blast is being carried out, however, President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Hassan Diab have claimed that the explosion was caused by over 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, that was stored unsafely in a warehouse for six years. As per reports, the ammonium nitrate that allegedly caused the blast was unloaded at the port in 2013 and was stored in the warehouse since 2014.
Extraordinary footage of the explosion of Beirut. pic.twitter.com/yBEGzwYeGv
— Saad Mohseni (@saadmohseni) August 4, 2020
What is ammonium nitrate?
Ammonium nitrate is used as fertilizers because it contains a high amount of nitrogen, which is very important for plants and vegetables. Ammonium nitrate's other major use is an explosive mixture, especially used in mining, construction, among other things. Ammonium nitrate is used in mining because the chemical compound in its prills provides a concentrated supply of oxygen than the air around us, which is useful for an explosion in closed, underground spaces, where oxygen is scarce.
What caused huge explosion?
As per reports, the ammonium nitrate at Beirut port was stored without following safety protocols and was lying there since 2013. For an explosion to occur through ammonium nitrate, an intense fire must be burning close to where the chemical compound is stored as high temperature causes it to decompose and release gases including nitrogen oxides and water vapour followed by a blast. Media reports and experts suggest this could be one of the reasons behind the huge explosion.
