Ammonia - NH₃ - Concentration in Air and Health Effects

Ammonia and health symptoms - smell and threat to life.

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Ammonia - NH₃ - is a gas commonly used as a refrigerant in cooling systems.

The gas is colorless with very sharp odor. In small concentrations the gas is detectable by smell. In high concentrations the gas is an immediate hazard to life.

Ammonia concentration in air (ppm)	Health Symptoms
< 25	Detectable by smell. Maximum Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)¹⁾
30	Uncomfortable, breathing support required. Maximum exposure 15 minutes¹⁾
50	OSHA²⁾ maximum exposure limit
100	Irritated eyes, throat and mucous membranes. Mild eye, nose, and throat irritation, may develop tolerance in 1-2 weeks with no adverse effects.
140	Moderate eye irritation, no long-term effect in exposures of less than 2 hours
400	Moderate throat irritation. Damage of mucous membranes with more than one hour exposure
500	Immediate danger to life limit (IDLH)
1000	Caustic to airway
1700	Fatal after short exposures - less than half an hour
5000	Immediate hazard to life
> 15000	Full body protection required
160000 - 170000	Flammable in air at 50^oC

Lower Flammable Limit (LFL) of Ammonia in air is 15-16% by volume.

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