Ammonia (total): Health effects
Description
Exposure to typical environmental concentrations of ammonia will not affect humans. Ammonia has been used for a long time in human and veterinary medicine and in smelling salts.
Exposure to high levels of ammonia can cause irritation and serious burns on the skin, and in the mouth, throat (laryngitis), lungs (pulmonary oedema) and eyes (conjunctivitis). Exposure at very high levels of ammonia can lead to death. Swallowing concentrated solutions of ammonia can cause burns in the mouth, throat and stomach. Splashing ammonia into the eyes can cause burns and blindness. Individuals that may be more sensitive to ammonia are those with reduced liver function, corneal disease, glaucoma or respiratory diseases (e.g. asthmatics).
Entering the body
Everyone is exposed to low levels of naturally-occurring ammonia in air, food, water and soil. Exposure to higher levels of ammonia can be from inhaling fumes, from splashing ammonia onto the skin, or from consuming ammonia. It is most likely that ammonia will be inhaled rather than from being absorbed through the skin. Most ammonia inhaled is rapidly exhaled. Ammonia that has been absorbed or ingested is rapidly converted to other non-harmful substances. Remaining ammonia is passed in the urine within a couple of days.
Exposure
Ammonia is made by humans and nature. Exposure to low levels of ammonia occurs regularly. Exposure to unnaturally high levels of ammonia would result from human activity.
In the workplace, exposure to ammonia can result from use of cleaning products or ammonia fertilisers or from enclosed areas that contain lots of animals (from their wastes), or by leaks and spills at production plants and storage facilities, tank trucks, rail cars, ships and vehicles that transport ammonia.
Health guidelines
Workplace exposure:
Currently, the eight-hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure limit is 17 milligrams of ammonia per cubic metre of air, and the 15-minute short term exposure limit (STEL) is 24 milligrams of ammonia per cubic metre of air.
Drinking water guidelines:
In 2004, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the National Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC) established the following guideline for acceptable water quality: Maximum of 0.5 milligrams per litre of water. This is based on aesthetic consider
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