Beltran, Princess Faye T.
September 8, 2020
BS Medical Technology (MT201) BCHE02M
2020 Beirut Explosion X Ammonium Nitrate
Located at the port city of Beirut, Lebanon, 2750 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate
was reported to be kept in storage at a warehous for almost 6 years, to which has
ignited the large explosion that occurred on August 4, 2020; causing a total of 191
deaths, and more than 6000 injuries.The devastating effects of the said explosion has
left nearly 300,000 people, homeless, and an over-all damages of the city which costs
billions of dollars to restore.
This recent unfortunate event has led many people to criticize which one really is
at fault from what happened; whether if it’s the use of the potentially dangerous
chemical Ammonium Nitrate in our industry, or the negligence of the government for
overlooking the situation and condition that the said chemical was into. And so, before
we create our own conclusions regarding of what happened, let us first understand
throroughly the center of this issue which revolves around the chemical Ammonium
Nitrate.
What is Ammonium Nitrate?
Ammonium Nitrate (NH₄NO₃) are usually produced into small white pellets and is
commonly used as a fertilizer all over the world; it is mainly used as fertilizers because it
is a good source of nitrogen for plants, a very important nutrient (nitrogen) for their
growth. However, aside from its primary use of fertilizing, Ammonium Nitrate can also
be a main component in the use of explosives (for mining, construction, etc.), and
already has its own reputation for exploding and causing major disasters throughout the
years Beirut was not the first one to experience this kind of incident.
Ammonium Nitrate is an oxidizing agent, meaning it is really rich in oxygen. It will
continue to burn even in the absence of air because it has its own oxygen supply.
Despite this fact, however, Ammonium Nitrate does not randomly explode on its own; it
needs to be triggered. Whether if it’s from an intense heat, fire, another explosion, or a
detonator; as long as the temperature increases, the AN also rapidly decomposes.
The decomposition of Ammonium Nitrate results into two products: Ammonia and
Nitrogen Oxides. The oxygen gases that are released are the one’s who fuels the
explosion. Even if the decomposition of AN happened in a close space (without any
nearby fire), the heat and pressure released can build up and soon reach the optimum
levels to cause an explosion. The gases assists the combustion to happen even if
there’s an absence of oxygen in the surroundings.
Under certain conditions, Ammonium Nitrate can be dangerous. However,
possible situation like this can be prevented as long as there’s proper regulations and
conditions in the use and storage of the chemical.
So, what went wrong in the Ammonium Nitrate stored in Beirut?
According to the reports, the 2750 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate was stored at the
port for 6 years 6 long years, inside a warehouse with no proper safety measures,
and is stored together with a stash of fireworks.
Two explosions took place in that time but before it happened, a fire broke out
first from a nearby warehouse (whether if the fire was an accident or not, it is still
currently being investigated). The first explosion was from the stored fireworks being set
off; 33 to 35 seconds before it was followed by the explosion of the 2750 tonnes of
Ammonium Nitrate. The fireworks’ explosion triggered the stored AN which caused a
much larger and deadly explosion to happen. The events happened like a chain
reaction.
Setting aside the first fire, what’s amiss is that why would they store Ammonium
Nitrate together with fireworks, an explosive material. There might be other conditions
as well that added the reason why the AN was triggered, but the fireworks’ explosion
will definitely be in the top list. Not to mention the amount of the stored Ammonium
Nitrate together with it. 2750 tonnes (2,750,000 kg) is a lot, lot enough to cause a
disaster like that. For something like this to happen whether if it’s an attack or not,
negligence is the primary fault (be it for the people who runs the warehouses, or the
government who failed to see this beforehand).
Again, Ammonium Nitrate do not explode on its own. However, it does need a
catalyst before a chain reaction can happen and for it to cause an explosion.The only
matter is that whether if it’s done intentionally or is by accident, the results will not
change. That is why when dealing with chemicals (not just Ammonium Nitrate),
everything must be handled with care and precaution. Failure due to negligence is the
worst thing you can do, especially if it’s in the cost of many lives people’s lives are
not disposable.
You can rebuild a city, but never the p eople who’ve lost their lives.
