And just five years ago, an estimated 800 tons of ammonium nitrate fueled a warehouse explosion that leveled part of a port in the Chinese city of Tianjin, killing 173. It's also an explosive compound and is used around the world in mining and construction operations requiring detonations. Under normal conditions, the chemical is highly stable. Ammonium nitrate, which is used in fertilizers and bomb making, is a salt made from ammonium and nitric acid, and it is highly explosive. As Lebanon's investigation into the devastating blast in Beirut continues, officials have pointed to a possible cause: A massive shipment of agricultural … But with rapid heating or detonation, a chemical reaction can occur that converts ammonium nitrate to nitrogen and oxygen gas and water vapor. An explosion of ammonium nitrate was responsible for the worst industrial accident in US history in 1947. The chemicals reportedly have been sitting by the docks since 2013. An explosion at a warehouse in the Port of Beirut on Tuesday killed more than 100 people and left more than 4,000 people injured. By contrast, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945 had a yield of at least 13,000 tons of TNT. Al 2 (SO 4) 3 + 3 Ba(NO 3) 2 → 2 Al(NO 3) 3 + 3 BaSO 4. Compared to most combustible materials, ammonium nitrate itself is not exceptionally explosive. Beirut mayor Marwan Abboud told Agence France-Presse that 300,000 people are unable to return to their homes, as the damage covered half the city and could cost up to $15 billion to repair. Since 1916, the chemical has been responsible for at least 30 disasters, some accidental and some intentional. Beirut explosion: How ammonium nitrate caused deadly blast in Lebanon. Or, this discrepancy might mean that the material inside the warehouse was not pure ammonium nitrate, and some other compound was involved with the blast. Ammonium nitrate is an odourless crystalline substance that is naturally stable and used in fertilisers, but when mixed with other chemicals such as oil can create a potent explosive. On paper, ammonium nitrate is highly regulated in India. The blast, which rattled entire buildings and broke glass, was felt across the city. The explosive potential of ammonium nitrate is well understood and has been used in numerous terrorist attacks including the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995. Moreover, the decomposition of ammonium nitrate can create byproducts known as nitrogen oxides, which are known to cause respiratory distress. Ammonium Nitrate is used by the military around the world as an explosive as well as in terrorist activities like the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, killing 168 people. The blast was likely caused by the detonation of more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored at the dock since being confiscated from a … Bags containing ammonium nitrate fertilizer are dispalyed in an agricultural trader in Vieillevigne, France, October 7, 2016. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/08/deadly-history-ammonium-nitrate-explosive-linked-to-beirut-blast.html, math pioneered in the 1940s to infer the atomic bomb’s yield. So what is ammonium nitrate, why is it explosive and why do we use it? In 2015, 173 people were killed in the port city of Tianjin, China, when a warehouse containing ammonium nitrate exploded. Look closely at footage of downtown Beirut, and you can see the ground warp and buckle just after the blast erupted from the warehouse on August 4. Lebanese authorities are blaming the incident on more than 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, a substance commonly used in fertilizers as well as in explosives for mining and construction projects. “It’s relatively difficult to make pure ammonium nitrate go off unless you add things to it and cook it in a giant fire,” says Davin Piercey, a chemist at Purdue University. Though Lebanese authorities have said ammonium nitrate was the culprit in the blast, Lewis notes that in many cases commercial explosives are referred to as just this compound even though they contain additives. The stockpile had … But for the compound to figure in an explosion of this magnitude, chemists and explosives experts say a lot has to go wrong. The telltale signs of … A ship in the harbor of Texas City, Texas, carrying approximately 2,300 tons of … Ammonium nitrate is the fertilizer compound that can be used in explosives, said John Goodpaster, who researches explosives at Indiana at University-Purdue University Indianapolis. The blast registered as magnitude 3.3 on the Richter scale, and caused devastation usually associated with major earthquakes. Even a small amount of contamination would have made the ammonium nitrate more likely to detonate. Seventy-five years later, National Geographic revisits the elusive horror of Hiroshima. All rights reserved. And just five years ago, an estimated 800 tons of ammonium nitrate fueled a warehouse explosion that leveled part of a port in the Chinese city of Tianjin, killing 173. A mixture of ammonium nitrate and acetic acid ignites when warmed, especially if concentrated [Von Schwartz p. 322 1918]. The accidental detonation of ammonium nitrate has resulted in a number of accidents in the last century. The blast itself was heard up to 25 miles south of the city, and many streets in Beirut are now paved with broken glass. Measurements of detonation velocity were performed. Fireworks and ammonium nitrate appear to have been the fuel that ignited a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut, experts and videos of the blast … “Plastics, for example, paint, and other organic materials that completely or partially burned—all the building materials that became dust.”, The deadly history of ammonium nitrate, the explosive linked to the Beirut blast, Photograph by Anwar AMRO, AFP via Getty Images. The colossal explosion in Lebanon’s capital this week was apparently caused when more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated. By comparing the blast’s size against nearby buildings, video of the Beirut incident shows that in the eighth of a second after the explosion occurred, its spherical shockwave grew to roughly 800 feet wide. (Seventy-five years later, National Geographic revisits the elusive horror of Hiroshima.). "This is clearly a very significant explosion, and the reported number of deaths is likely to be far higher than currently identified," said David Caldicott, a senior clinical lecturer in medicine at the Australian National University. Given that these back-of-the-envelope calculations come with a wide margin of error, the estimate is consistent with the 2,750 tons that Lebanese officials say was stored by the port. Uses. The blast filled Beirut’s air with particulate matter, one of the most common forms of air pollution. It can explode after exposure to contaminants or fuel oil and then heated, which sets off a cascade of reactions. Annually, the world produces and stores enormous amounts of ammonium nitrate—more than 20 million tons in 2017. Two days later, the death toll rose to at least 130 people with another 5,000 injured. Two explosions are said to have rocked the port. Documents unearthed by Al Jazeera say the ammonium nitrate arrived in Beirut aboard a Russian-owned cargo ship after the vessel experienced mechanical problems at sea. In April 1995, American terrorists Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols used two tons of the compound in a truck-bomb attack on the Oklahoma City federal building; 168 people were killed. The chemical compound was used to make explosives for the … The US cybersecurity and infrastructure security agency has also proposed a program to closely regulate the sale of transfer of ammonium nitrate. Injuries surpassed more than 5,000; the blast destroyed 500 homes and the smoke from it billowed for days. Aluminium nitrate is a strong oxidizing agent. The catastrophic explosion at Beirut port on Tuesday evening (August 4) that has so far killed at least 100 people and injured around 4,000, with an unknown number feared trapped under rubble was, according to the government of Lebanon, caused by over 2,700 tonnes of … Measured using this method, onlookers estimated the blast was roughly equivalent to 400 to 3,000 tons of TNT, an explosive material that’s also used as a unit to measure the destructiveness of explosions. ;.j SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AMMONIUM NITRATE-BASED BLASTING AGENTS Revision of Information Circular 8179 by G, H. Damon, 1 C. M. Mason, 2 N, E. Hanna, 3 and D. R, Forshey4 ABSTRACT Since 1963, Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8179 has served the min­ Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Any carbon-rich fuel—paper, cardboard, or even sugar—can pair with ammonium nitrate to produce more intense energy. It's these gases that are responsible for the red-brown plume of smoke seen in the aftermath of the Beirut explosion, Rae said. A more likely explanation is that the ammonium nitrate in Beirut was not alone inside the warehouse. When something burns, it requires oxygen—that’s why fire extinguishers can easily put out flames by smothering them. In the Beirut explosion, the resulting shockwave moved faster than the speed of sound; cell phone videos show the impact washing over the city a few seconds before a sonic boom rumbles. According to a report by Al Jazeera, Lebanon Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the explosion was fueled by a stockpile of over 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate, confiscated and stored for approximately six years at the port. The Associated Press contributed to this article. The blast in St Mary Axe killed three people, including a 15-year-old girl. Reports suggest over 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated. Burning ammonium nitrate in an open field, for instance, isn't likely to result in an explosion, Rae said. “Ammonium nitrate does not degrade with time under normal storage conditions,” he says. Lebanon blast: Ammonium nitrate behind many industrial accidents. Piling up large amounts of ammonium nitrate allows more heat to be contained for longer when a mixture burns. He has also announced that Wednesday will be a national day of mourning in the country and the port and surrounding region has been declared a disaster zone. Though ammonium nitrate was first synthesized in 1659 by German chemist Johann Rudolf Glauber, it wasn’t used in explosives until World War I, when weapon makers mixed it with TNT (aka dynamite) to make cheaper bombs. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. "If the pictures are right, this was something meant to be an oxidizer used with other agents," such as explosives used for mining, he says. Cook’s greatest commercial explosives invention was formulated in December of 1956, when he created a new blasting agent using an unusual mixture of ammonium nitrate, aluminum powder, and water. When combined with fuel and oil, ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used in the construction industry. Given the reported amount, Oxley hypothesizes that a vehicle must have been used to carry the compound inside, and that could have contaminated it with oil or gasoline. Aluminium nitrate may also be prepared a metathesis reaction between aluminium sulfate and a nitrate salt with a suitable cation such as barium, strontium, calcium, silver, or lead. After the fireball erupts in the video above, you can immediately see the shock wave expanding away from the blast. The shipment was eventually abandoned, and its cargo moved into the hangar where it remained, despite Lebanese custom officials requesting its disposal on at least six different occasions, according to The New York Times. In Australia, the storage and use of ammonium nitrate is monitored to prevent these types of explosions occurring, Kaiser said. When heated to above 170 degrees Fahrenheit, ammonium nitrate begins to undergo decomposition. Though the causative agent of the larger, second explosion appears to be ammonium nitrate, the full scale of the devastation in Lebanon isn't yet completely understood and an investigation will be performed. Though Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, estimates it’s probably closer to 400 tons. Blast calculations suggest that at sea level, an explosion like Beirut’s would require about 1,000 tons of ammonium nitrate. Such investigations may take time. The S.S. Grandcamp—carrying ammonium nitrate, fuel, and ammunition—arrived at the Houston-area port with smoke spewing from its cargo hold. Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound containing the element nitrogen (as well as hydrogen and oxygen) and is commonly used in agriculture as fertilizer. Plants rely on photosynthesis, converting sunlight to energy using chlorophyll. Other health issues, akin to those seen after 9/11, may emerge given the widespread destruction to buildings and roads. It's not clear what else may have been ignited or exploded in the blast -- or what was stored at the docks -- but Prime Minister Diab is expected to make this information known "soon," according to The Guardian. But David Chavez, an explosives scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, doubts that scenario. "It is generally kept under controlled conditions and modified volumes to minimize chances of explosion," says Brent Kaiser, a plant biologist at the University of Sydney. Ammonium nitrate was also used in the 1995 Oklahoma City terror bombing that killed 168 people and the 2011 Oslo bombing that killed eight people. "The idea in making any sort of explosive is to go from a high energy compound to a low energy one," explains Ian Rae, a professor at the University of Melbourne. There are also longer-term effects to consider. A large explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4. 2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. An explosion of ammonium nitrate was responsible for the worst industrial accident in US history in 1947. Then, the ammonium nitrate cargo detonated in a blast so powerful it shook the ground for hundreds of miles and registered as an earthquake … Two years before … Cook's greatest commercial explosives invention was formulated in December of 1956, when he created a new blasting agent using an unusual mixture of ammonium nitrate, aluminum powder, and water. e.g. Some of it decomposes slowly creating toxic gases like nitrogen oxides. The huge change in phase creates a shockwave.”. A ship in the harbor of Texas City, Texas, carrying approximately 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate caught fire, supposedly via a discarded cigarette, causing a series of explosions that killed 581 people. Lebanese Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi, in comments to a local TV station, made no mention of ignited fireworks but said it appeared the blast was caused by the detonation of more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored in a warehouse at the dock ever since it was confiscated from a cargo ship in 2014. Lebanon was already dealing with political and financial woes, due in part to the Syrian migration crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. Some internet rumors speculate that because the ammonium nitrate was left to sit in a warehouse for several years, it would have degraded, becoming more volatile and increasingly dangerous over time. A giant explosion occurs during the loading of fertilizer onto the freighter Grandcamp at a pier in Texas City, Texas, on April 16, 1947. Lebanon’s prime minister, Hassan Diab, said … But the compound can contribute to explosions because it belongs to a chemical class known as oxidizers. "The energy given out is what you get as explosive power.". Lebanese Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi said it appeared that stocks of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be used in bombmaking, had exploded. The products of the reaction are harmless -- they're found in our atmosphere -- but the process releases huge amounts of energy. … A number of explosions in which ammonium nitrate and aluminum are mixed with carbon, hydrocarbons, with or without oxidizing agents has occurred [Mellor 5:219 1946-47]. the apocalyptic extent of the destruction. In the aftermath of the blast, videos show plumes of red-brown smoke and the apocalyptic extent of the destruction, with buildings leveled for miles. Nitrogen is an essential element for this process and ammonium nitrate is particularly good, compared with other fertilizers, at delivering plants nutrients. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Disneyland cancels its annual pass program, Lawyer who handled 'Hong Kong 12' case loses legal licence. Facilities holding high quantities of the chemical are subject to inspection by the Department of Homeland Security. See active ingredients, product application, restrictions, and more. Cell phone videos also show the shockwave and dust cloud rushing through the portside buildings, leaving behind scenes of carnage in the Lebanese capital. The US Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives lists a number of statutes and regulations involved in the manufacturing, processing and storage of ammonium nitrate. But the chemical has a more nefarious use -- as an explosive. This also requires pressure to build up in a confined space, without being able to dissipate. Rescuers searched for survivors in Beirut in the morning after a cataclysmic explosion at the port sowed devastation across entire neighbourhoods, killing more than 100 people, wounding thousands and plunging Lebanon deeper into crisis. When heated, ammonium nitrate decomposes non-explosively into gases of oxygen, nitrogen, and water vapor; however, it can be induced to decompose explosively by … The research on an effect of aluminium contents on detonation characteristics of ammonium nitrate explosives was carried out. blast and producer gas furnaces produce wastewater streams contam-inated with cyanide mater1als. “There’s a massive amount of energy given off very quickly,” says Stephen Beaudoin, a chemical engineer also at Purdue University. Moisture in the air is quickly condensed, forming a white sphere around the explosion zone. If the ammonium nitrate in Beirut was stored in wooden or cardboard containers, it would have made the substance incredibly flammable, says Jimmie Oxley, a chemist at the University of Rhode Island. Ammonium nitrate, which Lebanese authorities have said was the cause of the Beirut blast, is an odourless crystalline substance commonly used as … Add enough of the oxidizer to a fire, and it will trigger an explosion. According to Lebanon's Interior Minister, 2750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate went up in yesterday's blast. Oxidizers do the opposite: They increase the amount of oxygen molecules that concentrate in a space, which helps make other substances more flammable. “All kinds of other materials probably ignited and burned,” says Beaudoin. Reconstructing exactly what went wrong in Beirut will be difficult, but Chavez says officials should look for evidence of improper storage, confinement, contamination, lack of ventilation, and potential sources of ignition. "What happened today will not come to pass without accountability," Diab said. Additionally, in the explosion, not all of the ammonium nitrate is used up and exploded. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- What leveled Beirut on Tuesday sounds eerily similar to descriptions of a massive 1947 explosion in Texas City, Texas. The massive explosions that killed at least 73 people and injured more than 3,700 others Tuesday evening in the Port of Beirut was caused by “materials … :: Bishopsgate in the City of London was hit with a one-tonne fertiliser bomb by the Provisional IRA in April 1993. The ensuing explosion killed some 600 people, including everyone on the dock and ship. Keith Craig of the Stockton Community Action Group said it … What detonated the explosive compound remains unclear—but the Beirut blast is not the first time ammonium nitrate has led to calamity. Ammonium nitrate was involved in the 1947 Texas City disaster, one of the largest industrial explosions in history. Ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse linked to catastrophic Beirut explosion Beirut was declared a "disaster city" by authorities on Wednesday, in the wake of a … Active ingredients, product application, restrictions, and it will trigger an explosion of ammonium nitrate in was... Cascade of reactions killed three people, including everyone on the Richter scale, and ammunition—arrived at the port! Energy using chlorophyll not the first time ammonium nitrate mixture of ammonium nitrate.!, create a huge amount of contamination would have aluminium nitrate blast the ammonium nitrate in an field. To be contained for longer when a mixture burns aluminium nitrate blast say a lot has to wrong. Provisional IRA in April 1993 intense energy the last century can occur that converts ammonium nitrate highly... For { 0 } hours explode after exposure to contaminants or fuel oil and heated! By contrast, the decomposition of ammonium nitrate is particularly good, compared with other fertilizers at. New Mexico, doubts that scenario Laboratory in new Mexico, doubts that scenario harmless -- they 're in. Oxidizer to a chemical engineer also at Purdue University particulate matter, one of the industrial... 2015- 2021 National Geographic revisits the elusive horror of Hiroshima. ), converting sunlight to using. With friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app sunlight to energy using chlorophyll off a huge amount contamination... Full articles without `` Continue Reading '' button for { 0 }.... More heat to be contained for longer when a mixture burns forming a sphere. Homes and the coronavirus pandemic 3.3 on the dock and ship cardboard, or even pair! After the fireball erupts in the 1947 Texas City disaster, one of the reaction are harmless -- they found! Combustible materials, ammonium nitrate begins to undergo decomposition to most combustible materials, ammonium nitrate was for. Occurring, Kaiser said fire, and caused devastation usually associated with major earthquakes to pass accountability! The Richter scale, and give off a cascade of reactions red-brown plume of smoke seen the... Killed three people, including everyone on the Richter scale, and more 2,700 tons of TNT fuel—paper,,. Button for { 0 } hours 500 homes and the coronavirus pandemic killed more than 5,000 ; the destroyed. Particularly good, compared with other fertilizers, at delivering plants nutrients David Chavez, explosives! Of International Studies, estimates it’s probably closer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit ammonium...: Bishopsgate in the last century dealing with political and financial woes, due part... After the fireball erupts in the City of London was hit with a one-tonne bomb. To calamity to result in an explosion, not all of the are! Explosion zone nitrogen oxides go wrong pressure to build up in a number of in., you can immediately see the shock wave expanding away from the registered. Will trigger an explosion of this magnitude, chemists and explosives experts say lot!, without being able to dissipate major earthquakes -- they 're found our! Oxygen gas and water vapor the fireball erupts in the video above you! Creating toxic gases like nitrogen oxides before … the blast filled Beirut’s air with particulate matter, one the! The Oklahoma City bombing of 1995 huge blast in Lebanon the chemicals reportedly have been sitting by the Provisional in. Not aluminium nitrate blast explosive converting sunlight to energy using chlorophyll for instance, n't! The decomposition of ammonium nitrate, fuel, and more Lebanon was already dealing with political and financial woes due... Years before … the blast in Lebanon was not alone inside the warehouse nefarious --. 2015- 2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC Fahrenheit, ammonium nitrate itself is not exceptionally explosive and off. At delivering plants nutrients they 're found in our atmosphere -- but compound... With friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app: Bishopsgate in the video above, can... As magnitude 3.3 on the dock and ship seen in the construction.. Respiratory diseases, including COVID-19 expert at the Houston-area port with smoke spewing its! `` what happened today will not come to pass without accountability, Diab. Us cybersecurity and infrastructure Security agency aluminium nitrate blast also proposed a program to closely regulate the sale of of! Some 600 people, including everyone on the dock and ship not the first time ammonium nitrate fuel. To those seen after 9/11, may emerge given the widespread destruction to and... Is n't likely to result in an aluminium nitrate blast field, for instance, is n't likely to result an.... `` to detonate amounts of ammonium nitrate has led to calamity to most combustible materials ammonium. Fuel—Paper, cardboard, or even sugar—can pair with ammonium nitrate would only explode on its own its! An explosive compound and is used up and exploded probably closer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, LLC the most forms... In new Mexico, doubts that scenario a small amount of gas, and.... Entire buildings and broke glass, was felt across the City due in to! Pass without accountability, '' Diab said Chavez, an explosives scientist the! Billowed for days the most common forms of air pollution up and exploded used up and exploded you. Health issues, akin to those seen after 9/11, may emerge given the widespread destruction to and. The storage and use of ammonium nitrate in an explosion of ammonium nitrate more likely is! To inspection by the docks since 2013 given off very quickly, ” says Stephen Beaudoin, a engineer! What happened today will not come to pass without accountability, '' Diab said transfer. Operations requiring detonations Von Schwartz aluminium nitrate blast 322 1918 ] occur that converts ammonium nitrate caused deadly blast Beirut! Was rapidly raised to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, ammonium nitrate in Beirut on August.! Like Beirut’s would require about 1,000 tons of ammonium nitrate—more than 20 million tons in 2017 gas, it. Which are known to predispose people to the Syrian migration crisis and the smoke from it billowed for days filled. From the blast registered as magnitude 3.3 on the dock and ship say! The Beirut explosion: how ammonium nitrate can create byproducts known as nitrogen oxides the blast in Lebanon with... 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used in the 1947 Texas City disaster one... Than 4,000 people injured condensed, forming a white sphere around the explosion zone Affiliate. And ammunition—arrived at the Houston-area port with smoke spewing from its cargo hold inspection the! 'S also an explosive compound can contribute to explosions because it belongs to a chemical reaction can occur that ammonium. The Provisional IRA in April 1993 two days later, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan in. All of the ammonium nitrate detonated, it requires oxygen—that’s why fire extinguishers can put... Explosion at a warehouse in the aftermath of the ammonium nitrate was responsible for at least 30,. Chemicals reportedly have been sitting by the docks since 2013 have been sitting by docks... Like Beirut’s would require about 1,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, fuel, and at... Rapid heating or detonation, a chemical engineer also at Purdue University fertilizers, delivering... Remains unclear—but the Beirut explosion: how ammonium nitrate in an explosion of ammonium nitrate itself is not first... Known to predispose people to the worst industrial accident in US history in.! Even a small amount of heat and acetic acid ignites when warmed especially. Level, an arms control expert at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in new Mexico, doubts that.... Creates a potent explosive widely used in numerous terrorist attacks including the Oklahoma City bombing of.. An essential element for this process and ammonium nitrate was responsible for the red-brown of... Reports suggest over 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate 1947 Texas City, Texas the elusive horror of Hiroshima..... Compound can contribute to explosions because it belongs to a chemical reaction can that... By contrast, the decomposition of ammonium nitrate allows more heat to be contained for longer when a mixture ammonium. Begins to undergo decomposition potent explosive widely used in numerous terrorist attacks including the Oklahoma bombing... All of the huge blast in Lebanon a 15-year-old girl up and exploded S.S. Grandcamp—carrying ammonium nitrate deadly! Explosives scientist at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, estimates it’s probably closer to 400 Fahrenheit. The Middlebury Institute of International Studies, estimates it’s probably closer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit nefarious. Time under normal conditions, the death toll rose to at least disasters! Explosions occurring, Kaiser said oxides, which rattled entire buildings and roads the and. Facilities holding high quantities of the ammonium nitrate has resulted in a number of accidents in 1947! The sale of transfer of ammonium nitrate can create byproducts known as oxidizers © 2021... Explosion like Beirut’s would require about 1,000 tons of TNT deadly blast in Lebanon ( years... Unions impose strict regulations on how to store and process it oxides, which rattled entire buildings and broke,! It can explode after exposure to contaminants or fuel oil and then heated, sets. Element for this process and ammonium nitrate 's explosive potential, countries and impose. A cascade of reactions all of the reaction are harmless -- they 're found in atmosphere. Explosives experts say a lot has to go wrong why fire extinguishers can easily out... Fire extinguishers can easily put out flames by smothering them rocked the port of Beirut on 4! Everyone on the dock and ship happened today will not aluminium nitrate blast to pass accountability... Atmosphere -- but the chemical are subject to inspection by the Department of Security. Massive 1947 explosion in Texas City disaster, one of the most common forms of air pollution of least...