ammonium nitrate
Enable an AI agent to recognise ammonium nitrate, assess a documented sample or lot, and determine which uses or handling decisions require further evidence or qualified review.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
recalled by Codex without web access - no source was read
Researched by: Codex
Purpose and description
Enable an AI agent to recognise ammonium nitrate, assess a documented sample or lot, and determine which uses or handling decisions require further evidence or qualified review.
Ammonium nitrate is the inorganic salt NH4NO3, composed of ammonium cations and nitrate anions, typically occurring as a white crystalline solid and distinguished from nitrates generally by its ammonium counterion.
It can be Match a sample or supplier record to verified ammonium nitrate identity evidence.; Compare a lot certificate with a named grade specification and flag missing or inconsistent measurements.; Determine whether reported properties apply to the sample's composition, moisture and physical state.; Link an ammonium-nitrate-containing product to this substance while preserving the product's separate identity.; Identify missing evidence that prevents a use, storage or transport decision and route it to a qualified reviewer..
Distinguishing features
Identity evidence must establish both ammonium and nitrate constituents; detecting nitrate alone cannot distinguish ammonium nitrate from other nitrate salts.
The nominal formula NH4NO3 distinguishes the substance from ammonium nitrite, ammonium sulfate and metal nitrates.
A trade name or fertiliser nitrogen declaration alone does not establish ammonium nitrate identity or purity.
A product containing ammonium nitrate plus other constituents must retain a mixture or product identity linked to this substance model.
An aqueous sample must state ammonium nitrate concentration and solvent basis rather than inherit properties reported for the dry solid.
Scope
+ Ammonium nitrate identity, authoritative identifiers and relationship to the broader nitrate entry
+ Purity, water content, additives, contamination and grade of a sample or lot
+ Solid form or aqueous state and the conditions under which reported properties apply
+ Nitrogen content and documented suitability for an intended material use
+ Hazard evidence, condition assessment and jurisdiction-specific regulatory identity
- Nitrate ions and other nitrate salts except as identity comparisons
- Finished fertilisers, mixtures and other products containing ammonium nitrate
- Manufacturing processes, plant design and production optimisation
- Explosive formulations, initiation methods and performance optimisation
- Storage-facility engineering and emergency-response procedures
- Agronomic application plans and environmental nitrogen-cycle models
Characteristics
- Verified substance identity
- Registry entry linked to verified CAS, EC and PubChem records, with source and access date Keeps the substance distinct from similarly named salts, grades and commercial products.
- Ammonium nitrate assay
- Mass fraction or mass %, specifying as-received or dry basis, method and uncertainty Establishes how much of the sample is the named substance and supports grade assessment.
- Water content or solution concentration
- Water mass % for solids; ammonium nitrate mass % for solutions; sampling conditions Separates moisture-bearing solids from solutions and qualifies physical-property comparisons.
- Grade and declared additives
- Supplier grade, referenced specification, additive identities and declared amounts; unknown permitted Grade labels and additives can affect suitability and invalidate assumptions about pure material.
- Physical condition
- Solid or solution; crystal, prill or granule form where applicable; caking, visible contamination and observation date Connects the chemical identity to the material condition actually being assessed.
- Thermal and phase-property evidence
- Temperature in °C or K with event type, pressure, composition and method; not established or not applicable permitted Prevents phase transitions, melting and decomposition observations from being treated as interchangeable constants.
- Nitrogen content
- Total, ammonium and nitrate nitrogen as mass %, with reporting basis and analytical method Supports composition checks and documented nutrient-grade claims without substituting for substance identification.
- Hazard and regulatory applicability
- Applicable classification or requirement linked to jurisdiction, composition, physical form, source and effective date Avoids treating a classification for one product or jurisdiction as universally applicable.
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 19 findings · 29 questions.
Ammonium nitrate identity Establishes the specific salt represented by the entry and its boundaries with nitrate and containing products.
A nitrate result or commercial label does not by itself identify ammonium nitrate.
Salt identity
Connects the ammonium and nitrate composition to authoritative substance records.
Identity evidence
Record evidence supporting the nominal NH4NO3 identity and reconcile external identifiers.
- What analytical or documentary evidence identifies the material as ammonium nitrate rather than merely a nitrate-containing material? definition
- Which authoritative records verify its CAS number, EC number and PubChem CID, and do their substance scopes agree? provenance
Nitrate and product boundaries
Separates inherited nitrate concepts from this salt and from products containing it.
Registry and mixture boundary
Keep the broader nitrate relationship explicit and distinguish the substance from solution or formulated-product records.
- Which properties belong to the broader nitrate model, and which depend specifically on the ammonium counter-ion? boundary
- Does the record describe ammonium nitrate itself, an aqueous sample, or a formulated product requiring a separate linked model? boundary
Assay, grade and nitrogen Describes the measured composition and the evidence behind a declared ammonium nitrate grade.
Purity, nutrient declarations and supplier grade names answer different questions and must be reconciled.
Composition basis
Makes assay, water and nitrogen results comparable on an explicit reporting basis.
Assay and nitrogen reconciliation
Record ammonium nitrate assay alongside water and nitrogen measurements without treating one as proof of the others.
- What are the measured ammonium nitrate assay and water content, and are the results reported on an as-received or dry basis? measurement
- Are total nitrogen and the ammonium- and nitrate-nitrogen fractions consistent with the declared composition within the methods' uncertainties? measurement
Grade and other constituents
Links grade claims to specifications, additives and impurity evidence.
Grade qualification
Treat a grade as a supported specification claim rather than a synonym for the substance.
- Which dated specification defines the claimed grade, and which lot-specific certificate supports compliance? provenance
- Which additives or impurities are declared or measured, and do they change the material's identity boundary or eligibility for the intended use? boundary
Physical state and property context Qualifies ammonium nitrate properties by water content, temperature, solid form and measurement conditions.
A single unqualified property table cannot reliably describe dry solids, moisture-affected material and solutions.
Solid and solution condition
Records the observed material form and evidence of changes during its history.
Observed material state
Describe the sample's current physical form, moisture condition and relevant observations.
- Is the sample a crystalline solid, prill, granule or aqueous solution, and what temperature and water-content evidence accompanies that description? measurement
- What dated observations document caking, dissolution, recrystallisation or other changes, and what remains unconfirmed about their causes? provenance
Qualified physical constants
Distinguishes measured phase and thermal events and records other properties only with their conditions.
Property applicability
Attach composition, units, conditions and method to reported thermal transitions, density and solubility.
- Which sourced temperatures describe solid-state transitions, melting or decomposition, and is a conventional boiling point meaningful for the reported conditions? measurement
- For reported density or solubility, what temperature, composition and method apply, and does density mean crystal, bulk or solution density? measurement
Hazards and condition assessment Connects ammonium nitrate hazard evidence to the actual composition and observed condition.
Identity alone is insufficient for judging a particular lot's condition or authorising handling.
Documented hazard profile
Captures applicable hazard statements and distinguishes classification from sample-specific assessment.
Hazard evidence scope
Record authoritative oxidising, thermal-decomposition and health-hazard evidence with its material scope.
- Which current authoritative sources establish the relevant oxidising, thermal-decomposition and health hazards for this composition and form? provenance
- Which GHS classifications and statements apply under the selected jurisdiction, and are they substance-level or supplier-product classifications? boundary
Condition and exposure review
Identifies unresolved material-condition and exposure issues requiring competent assessment.
Review triggers
Track compromised identity, contamination, abnormal condition and missing exposure evidence as decision constraints.
- What documented contamination, abnormal heating, packaging damage or uncertain history requires the handling decision to be referred to a qualified safety reviewer? action
- Which exposure limits or assessment criteria apply to ammonium nitrate dust or solution mist in this jurisdiction, and are they substance-specific or generic particulate criteria? provenance
Regulated identity and use decisions Links the material record to applicable legal categories and evidence needed for a proposed use or movement.
Regulatory treatment can depend on composition, grade, location and activity rather than the substance name alone.
Jurisdictional applicability
Records the legal scope of transport, supply, storage and restricted-access requirements.
Applicable regulatory record
Connect each asserted requirement to an authoritative provision and the material attributes that make it applicable.
- Which current transport designation and classification apply to the actual composition and form for the intended transport mode? boundary
- Which jurisdiction-specific supply, storage or restricted-access provisions apply, and what source and effective date support each determination? provenance
Evidence for intended use
Connects an intended use to composition, grade and compliance evidence without modelling the downstream process.
Use eligibility and handoff
Identify whether documented material attributes satisfy a named use requirement and where further review belongs.
- Which composition, grade and current-condition requirements must be evidenced before this lot can be considered suitable for the stated use? action
- Which unresolved requirements need a supplier, laboratory or qualified regulatory reviewer, and which downstream product or process model receives the decision? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Check these first
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- This is recall-based information; no sources were consulted. Verify current regulatory provisions and product-specific hazard classifications.
- Grades, particle forms and solutions overlap rather than forming mutually exclusive chemical varieties; verify purity, additives, moisture and concentration for an actual product.
- Verify physical constants against stated temperature and purity. A normal boiling point is not appropriate because thermal decomposition intervenes; no exposure limit is asserted here.
- Which of these check these first hold for the sense of ammonium nitrate this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Kinds and varieties
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Fertilizer-grade ammonium nitrate
- Technical-grade ammonium nitrate
- Dense prilled ammonium nitrate
- Porous prilled ammonium nitrate
- Granular ammonium nitrate
- Aqueous ammonium nitrate solutions
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of ammonium nitrate this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- CAS Registry Number - 6484-52-2 - Identifies ammonium nitrate; formulated mixtures require separate characterization.
- EC number - 229-347-8 - European chemical inventory identifier.
- PubChem CID - 22985 - Compound identifier for ammonium nitrate.
- Chemical formula - NH4NO3 - An ionic salt containing NH4+ and NO3−.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of ammonium nitrate this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals: framework for communicating chemical hazards.
- United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations: transport treatment depends on composition and product form.
- European Union REACH and CLP regulations: chemical registration, restrictions, classification and labelling frameworks.
- European Union Regulation (EU) 2019/1148 on the marketing and use of explosives precursors: includes ammonium nitrate.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of ammonium nitrate this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Nitrogen fertilizer supplying both ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen.
- Component of formulated fertilizers.
- Oxidizing component in regulated commercial explosives used in mining and quarrying.
- Endothermic solute in some instant cold packs.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of ammonium nitrate this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Molar mass - 80.04 - g/mol
- Melting temperature of relatively pure material - Approximately 169.6 - °C
- Crystal density near room temperature - Approximately 1.72 - g/cm³
- Theoretical nitrogen content of pure material - Approximately 35.0 - % by mass
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of ammonium nitrate this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Acts as an oxidizer and can intensify combustion of other materials.
- Heating can cause hazardous decomposition; severe fire exposure, confinement or contamination can create an explosion hazard.
- Decomposition can release toxic gases, including nitrogen oxides.
- Moisture uptake promotes caking, dissolution and changes in handling properties.
- Solid-state phase transitions during temperature cycling can damage granules and change bulk properties.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of ammonium nitrate this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Fertilizer availability and permissible formulations vary with national security and agricultural rules.
- Storage, transport and explosives-precursor controls differ by jurisdiction and product composition.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of ammonium nitrate this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- nitrate - Nitrate denotes the NO3− ion or its broader class of salts and esters; ammonium nitrate is the particular salt with NH4+ as its cation.
- ammonium - Ammonium is the NH4+ cation; ammonium nitrate is a neutral salt containing that cation and nitrate.
- calcium ammonium nitrate - A distinct fertilizer designation commonly referring to ammonium nitrate combined with limestone or dolomite, rather than pure NH4NO3.
- ammonium nitrite - Contains nitrite, NO2−, instead of nitrate, NO3−, and has different stability and chemical behavior.
- ammonium-nitrate-based explosives - Formulated products containing ammonium nitrate and other ingredients; their composition and classification are distinct from the pure salt.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of ammonium nitrate this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Which authoritative identity records and existing Vercy publications should this entry link to, and does an existing world model already cover the same substance?
- Which grade specifications should be represented, and where do their additive or composition requirements cross into separately modelled products?
- Which reviewed sources establish phase-transition, melting, decomposition, density and solubility data with enough experimental context for reliable reuse?
- Which jurisdictions and transport modes are required initially, and what current classification, access-control and exposure provisions apply in each?
- What minimum analytical and history evidence is sufficient to assess a lot when its grade, moisture condition or contamination status is uncertain?