Ammonium Acetate Side Effects in Humans

Ammonium acetate is a chemical compound used as a reagent in chemistry labs, especially in tests to determine lead and iron content. Ammonium acetate also occurs in veterinary diuretics, fabric dyes, meat preservatives and a number of other industrial compounds. Ammonium acetate is also known as acetic acid ammonium salt.

Skin Contact

• Ammonium acetate can cause mild skin irritation, but it is not absorbed through the skin.

Inhalation

• Inhaling ammonium acetate dust can irritate the nose, throat and upper respiratory tract. The lungs may receive less exposure than the mucous membranes of the nose and throat and experience less irritation.

Ingestion

• Swallowing ammonium acetate causes irritation of the stomach, which can be accompanied by diarrhea. Patients can also experience increased urination as the kidneys begin working harder to eliminate the ammonium acetate. This symptom is known medically as diuresis.

Ammonia Poisoning

• Taking in ammonium acetate can also lead to systemic ammonia poisoning. Symptoms include limpness of the face muscles, trembling or shaking, anxiety, loss of coordination and confusion.

Other Risks

• Chronic exposure to ammonium acetate can damage the liver. There are no reported carcinogenic or birth defect risks, but the sparse data available on these aspects of ammonium acetate cannot rule out such effects.