Almost no industry can do without chemically active substances. Additives are used in agriculture, food industry, during leather dressing, in construction and in many other areas of human activity. Among all their numbers, carbon ammonium salts, which are universal, occupy a special place.
Coal ammonium salt
Coal ammonium salt is an inorganic compound of white color, highly soluble in water, is a product of the interaction of carbonic acid and ammonium salts.
Crystals of the substance in the open air quickly decompose with the release of a large amount of ammonia and carbon dioxide, and then volatilize. There are two types of chemical compounds:
- Coal ammonium salts of type B, which are actively used in the metallurgical industry, during the development of uranium ores, for the flotation process, neutralization of chrome leathers and dyeing of products.
- Salt grade A, which is used for the manufacture of organic products, the synthesis of chemicals.
All types of chemical compounds are not soluble in ethanol and acetone. Substances are obtained by initiating redox reactions between ammonium salts and carbonic acid.
Chemical composition
According to state standards, carbonic ammonium salts should have, in terms of dry matter, at least 99% of ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate - not more than 1% and not more than 3% bound at the molecular level of water.
The exact chemical composition may vary depending on the area of application of the crystalline substance. So, for the food industry, the composition should be at least 20.9% NH 3 . The mass fraction of other compounds has a strictly regulated framework and should not exceed the following indicators:
- heavy metals - 5 * 10 -4 ;
- arsenic - 1 * 10 -4 ;
- iron and its valence compounds - 1 * 10 -3 ;
- chlorine and chlorides - 1 * 10 -3 ;
- water-insoluble compounds - 5 * 10 -3 .
These indicators are determined by TU U 6-04687873.025-95, the chemical formula is NH 4 HCO 3 .
physical and chemical indicators
Coal ammonium salts have indicators that define them as a specific substance:
- the shade of the crystals of the substance can be represented by a white, pink or gray shade;
- the mass fraction of ammonia for group A should correspond to 21%, for brand B - 20.7%;
- the mass residue after calcination should be no more than 0.008% for type A, and not more than 0.02 for type B.
Only a substance that meets these parameters can be defined as a carbon ammonium salt. GOST 9325-79 fixes these provisions, as well as regulates the rules of production, transportation and storage, safety and precautionary measures.
Scope of application
The most common carbon ammonium salt received in the food industry and agriculture. In the first area, it is used under the guise of an additive E503, often replacing food yeast and carbonic food ammonium. For use, the substance is dissolved in water at a temperature of 20 ° C or higher, and then added to the recipe mixture shortly before the flour is shed.
Physico-chemical indicators of carbon ammonium salt allow it to be used as fertilizers. By introducing crystals of the substance, they slow down or completely stop the process of accumulation of nitrites in the soil, which has a beneficial effect on ripening and the amount of yield:
- Productivity increases by 15-45%.
- The initial stage of fruiting crops begins one to two weeks earlier.
- Reduces the need for soils in phosphorus fertilizers.
- Promotes humus formation.
In our country, the production of fertilizers based on carbon ammonium salt is focused on a domestic entrepreneur, why the price of products is much lower than the cost of foreign analogues.
Precautionary measures
Coal ammonium salts belong to hazard class 4. They contain two substances hazardous to human health - ammonia and carbon dioxide. The first element is extremely toxic; if it enters the respiratory tract, it causes irritation. When poisoning, the central nervous system is affected, there is a headache, lacrimation, cramps and other symptoms.
Carbon dioxide has a narcotic and sleep effect. In large quantities, it destabilizes the respiratory center, causes suffocation and can cause death from a lack of oxygen.
Therefore, carbon ammonium salts can be used only in special clothing, in goggles, gloves, resistant to alkali, gas masks. After work, follow the rules of personal hygiene, a warm shower is best.