Ammonium Sulfate & Calcium Hydroxide

Whether it's household cleaning supplies or something that appears as innocuous as plant food, we trust manufacturers not to supply us with chemicals that will make our hair fall out on sight. Two chemicals we may come into contact regularly without realizing is ammonium sulfate and calcium hydroxide.

Composition

• Ammonium sulfate is chemically made up of the elements nitrogen, hydrogen, sulfur and oxygen. The molecular weight is 132.14. It is also known by other names: diammonium sulfate, Actamaster and mascanite. It's appearance is a medium-sized, white crystalline and smells like ammonia.

  Calcium hydroxide is composed of calcium, hydrogen and oxygen. Its molecular weight is 74.09 and its known also as slaked lime or calcium hydrate. It is white also but is powdery and odorless.

Storage

• Both can be stored at normal temperatures. Ammonium sulfate may discharge ammonia while calcium hydroxide absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere which forms calcium carbonate.

Effects

• Inhalation or ingestion of ammonium sulfate causes irritation to the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. If contact is made with skin, it causes redness, itching and pain as well as in the eyes.

  Calcium hydroxide has much more severe effects. Inhalation can cause shortness of breath and victims may suffer chemical bronchitis. Ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhea and collapse. Narrowing of the esophagus can last up to years, making swallowing difficult. Burns and blistering can occur with direct contact with skin, and it may cause blindness if it gets in the eyes.

Treatment

• If you come into contact with ammonium sulfate through inhalation, get fresh air as soon as possible. If ingested, induce vomiting. Contact with skin or eyes should be followed with water flushing for at least 15 minutes. In all cases, seek medical attention.

  If calcium hydroxide is ingested, vomiting should not be induced but the victim should be given large quantities of water. Contact with eyes and skin should be flushed with water for at least 15 minutes. Eye treatment should be with a steady, large stream.

Uses

• Calcium hydroxide has been used in the field of endodontics, the treatment of root canals, as an anti-microbial. However, it's hard to handle, sometimes distributing through the whole canal. If not properly extracted, it obstructs endodontic sealers.

  Ammonium sulfate is commonly used in fertilizers as a nitrogen source along with pesticides. It's also used in flameproofing, galvanizing iron and water treatment. One of its more harmful implementations is within homemade explosives when mixed with certain chemicals like potassium hydrate or nitrate. Some countries have banned its application because of its use in homemade explosive devices.