CLEANING PRODUCTS:AMMONIA-BASED ALL-PURPOSE CLEANERS.

AMMONIA-BASED ALL-PURPOSE CLEANERS

Historically, ammonia (NH3) was first synthesized from coal tar. How- ever, these solutions were quite murky in appearance. In the early 1900s, before the onset of World War I, two German scientists, F. Haber and K. Bosch, developed the Haber-Bosch process, which involved the synthetic process of reacting nitrogen (N2) gas and hydrogen (H2) gas to form high quantities of pure ammonia gas. Natural gas (methane, CH4) is first reacted with steam to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen gas in a two-step process. Hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas are then reacted via the 1919 Nobel Prize-winning Haber-Bosch process to produce ammonia. These two scientists determined the conditions (extremely high temperatures and high pressures [steam]) and the catalysts (e.g., iron oxides and oxides of other common elements) necessary to produce ammonia gas. This colorless clear gas with a pungent odor is then easily liquefied for many uses. In fact, soap is often added to pure clear ammonia solutions to enhance consumer comfort compared with that of the originally marketed murky product.

Fresh household aqueous ammonia solutions range in concentrations of up to 10 percent actual ammonia. Such solutions are appropriate for use in loosening baked-on greasy soil or burned-on food particles. Diluted with water, ammonia solutions remove grease-based soils from glass surfaces, including mirrors and windows. Mixed with a detergent/surfactant, ammonia readily removes waxes from vinyl floor coverings (e.g., linoleum floors). This cleaner is not recommended for use on aluminum, asphalt tile, or woodwork, as it may lead to pitting, staining, and/or erosion of these materials. Ammonia-based solutions are excellent cleaners because they dissolve tough greasy stains without leaving a filmy residue. Both the ammonia and water evaporate after cleaning use. However, ammonia vapor is highly alkaline and caustic; therefore, it is potentially very irritating to the human respiratory system. In addition, it is extremely hazardous to mix ammonia with bleach. Potential noxious gases released from this reaction combination include chloramines (NH2Cl, NHCl2), hydrazine (NH2NH2), nitrogen trichloride (NCl3), and hydrochloric acid (HCl), all of which are toxic.