Ammonium Carbonate

Suitable Extinguishing Media: use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide. Special protective equipment for fire-fighters: wear self contained breathing apparatus for fire fighting if necessary.

Use dry chemical, carbon dioxide; water spray; or alcohol foam extinguishers. Poisonous gases are produced in fire. If material or contaminated runoff enters waterways, notify downstream users of potentially contaminated waters. Notify local health and fire officials and pollution control agencies. From a secure, explosion-proof location, use water spray to cool exposed containers. If cooling streams are ineffective (venting sound increases in volume and pitch, tank discolors, or shows any signs of deforming), withdraw immediately to a secure position. ... The only respirators recommended for fire fighting are self-contained breathing apparatuses that have full face-pieces and are operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode.

Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place. Air sensitive.

Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated area away from temperatures above 38 °C/ 100 °F

Spill handling: evacuate persons not wearing protective equipment from area of spill or leak until clean-up is complete. Remove all ignition sources. Collect powdered material in the most convenient and safe manner and deposit in sealed containers. Ventilate area after clean-up is complete. It may be necessary to contain and dispose of this chemical as a hazardous waste. If material or contaminated runoff enters waterways, notify downstream users of potentially contaminated waters. Contact your Department of Environmental Protections or your regional office of the federal EPA for specific recommendations.

SRP: The most favorable course of action is to use an alternative chemical product with less inherent propensity for occupational harm/injury/toxicity or environmental contamination. Recycle any unused portion of the material for its approved use or return it to the manufacturer or supplier. Ultimate disposal of the chemical must consider: the material's impact on air quality; potential migration in soil or water; effects on animal and plant life; and conformance with environmental and public health regulations.

ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES. Personal precautions:use personal protective equipment. Avoid dust formation. Avoid breathing vapors, mist or gas. Ensure adequate ventilation. Avoid breathing dust. Environmental precautions: prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so. Do not let product enter drains. Discharge into the environment must be avoided. Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up: pick up and arrange disposal without creating dust. Sweep up and shovel. Keep in suitable, closed containers for disposal.

Slowly deposit in a large container of water. Add excess amounts of soda ash and let stand for 24 hr. Decant to another container, neutralize with hydrochloric acid, and drain with an excess of water. Ship to landfill.

Remove contaminated clothing and shoes.

Precautions for safe handling. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Avoid formation of dust and aerosols. Provide appropriate exhaust ventilation at places where dust is formed. Normal measures for preventive fire protection.

Handle with gloves. Gloves must be inspected prior to use. Use proper glove removal technique (without touching glove's outer surface) to avoid skin contact with this product. Dispose of contaminated gloves after use in accordance with applicable laws and good laboratory practices. Wash and dry hands.

Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practice. Wash hands before breaks and at the end of workday.

For more Preventive Measures (Complete) data for AMMONIUM CARBONATE (10 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

0.31 [mg/m3]

3.5 [mg/m3]

21 [mg/m3]

Dust respirator; protection against ammonia vapors (USCG, 1999)

Respiratory protection. For nuisance exposures use type P95 (US) or type P1 (EU EN 143) particle respirator.For higher level protection use type OV/AG/P99 (US) or type ABEK-P2 (EU EN 143) respirator cartridges. Use respirators and components tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or CEN (EU).

Eye protection: safety glasses with side-shields conforming to EN166. Use equipment for eye protection tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or EN 166(EU).

Skin and body protection: complete suit protecting against chemicals. The type of protective equipment must be selected according to the concentration and amount of the dangerous substance at the specific workplace.

Wear protective gloves and clothing

Wear dust proof chemical goggles and face shield unless full face-piece respiratory protection is worn.

... In a study in which guinea-pigs were exposed to sulfuric-acid (7664939) mists in the presence or absence of ammonium-carbonate (10361292) the lethality of the sulfuric-acid was reduced. This was due to ammonia (7664417) released from the ammonium-carbonate reacting with the sulfuric-acid, thereby lowering its concentration in the chamber...

The CIR Expert Panel concluded that the following 6 carbonate salts are safe in the present practices of use and concentration, as described in this safety assessment, when formulated to be non-irritating...Ammonium Carbonate...

Safe for use in cosmetics, with qualifications

/AQUATIC SPECIES/ Ammonium carbonate at 5, 10, 25, or 50 mg ammonium ion/l decreased the fertility of Daphnia magna, at 50 mg ammonium ion/L disrupted embryonic development, and at 10, 25, or 50 mg ammonium ion/L impaired postembryonic growth of the crustacea. Industrial sewage entering fishing waters apparently should contain about 1 mg ammonium ion/L.

/SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS/ Short term exposure: Contact can irritate eyes and nose. Breathing ammonium carbonate can irritate the nose, throat and lungs, causing a cough and difficulty in breathing. Long term exposure: may cause lung problems.

/SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS/ ... In Morocco, death rate from suicide due to self-administration of phostoxin pills is high. Clinical signs include abrupt digestive and nervous disorders. Pulmonary edema or cardiogenic shock dominate early prognosis. Liver and renal damage is secondary... /Phostoxin is a mixture of aluminium phosphide and ammonium carbonate/

/LABORATORY ANIMALS: Acute Exposure/ Dog, oral, 40 g ammonium carbonate - vomiting, diarrhea. Dog, iv, 100 mg/kg - toxic. Dog, iv, 200 mg/kg - lethal.

/LABORATORY ANIMALS: Acute Exposure/ Ammonium carbamate was prepared, and its identity and purity were shown. The compound decomposed below pH 10.4 to ammonium carbonate and ammonium bicarbonate. The intravenous LD50 value in young mice for ammonium carbonate was calculated to be 1.02. The pharmacodynamic effects of the ammonium cmpd were the same as those observed in experimentally produced urea toxicosis in sheep, indicating that the dogs and sheep died from a cardiotoxic effect. This effect was caused by an apparent direct action of the ammonium cmpd on the heart.

/LABORATORY ANIMALS: Acute Exposure/ Ammonium carbonate was administered iv to sheep number 1 for 12 days starting with a dose of 0.5 g and ending with a dose of 7 g, sheep number 2 for 9 days beginning with a dose of 1 g and ending with 7 g, & sheep number 3 for 6 days starting with a dose of 4 g and ending with 5 g. All the sheep died 1.5 min after the last dose. Changes included alkalosis of blood, hypertrophy of blood vessel walls in brain & perivascular necrosis, & degenerated nerve fibers.

/OTHER TOXICITY INFORMATION/ The responses of chicks of 14 days of age to increasing levels of dietary anions and cations were investigated in two experiments. Major reductions in weight gains per chick and in gain:feed ratios were observed in chicks as levels of dietary sulfate, with ammonium or potassium cations, were increased from 0 through 5 g per 100 g diet. Sodium sulfate had a similar but smaller effect. Calcium and magnesium sulfates increased weight gains and gain:feed ratios at low levels of dietary inclusion. The relative effect of anion and cation were studied in the second experiment. Potassium carbonate reduced weight gains and gain:feed ratio to a greater degree than potassium sulfate; however the higher dietary levels of ammonium carbonate had little effect on chick growth responses in contrast to the major reductions obtained in response to ammonium sulfate. There were no differences between responses of strains of chicks within experiments. None of the salts was lethal at the levels fed.

/OTHER TOXICITY INFORMATION/ Ammonium nitrate, carbonate, phosphate, and other salts or combinations thereof may be applied to soils in liquid solutions. ... Ammonium compounds used as fertilizers are a toxicologic hazard when livestock have access to residues or pools of solution on a pasture. ... Toxic concentrations of ammonia can be liberated from decomposing manure that is confined to a slurry pit or chicken house. Animals or birds confined to the same area may then inhale the gas.

According to the 2006 TSCA Inventory Update Reporting data, the number of persons reasonably likely to be exposed in the industrial manufacturing, processing, and use of ammonium carbonate is 1 to 99; the data may be greatly underestimated(1).

NIOSH (NOES Survey 1981-1983) has statistically estimated that 4.412 workers (1,744 of these were female) were potentially exposed to ammonium carbonate in the US(1).

Immediate first aid: Ensure that adequate decontamination has been carried out. If patient is not breathing, start artificial respiration, preferably with a demand valve resuscitator, bag-valve-mask device, or pocket mask, as trained. Perform CPR if necessary. Immediately flush contaminated eyes with gently flowing water. Do not induce vomiting. If vomiting occurs, lean patient forward or place on the left side (head-down position, if possible) to maintain an open airway and prevent aspiration. Keep patient quiet and maintain normal body temperature. Obtain medical attention. /Ammonia and related compounds/

Basic treatment: Establish a patent airway (oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal airway, if needed). Suction if necessary. Watch for signs of respiratory insufficiency and assist ventilations if necessary. Administer oxygen by nonrebreather mask at 10 to 15 L/min. Monitor for signs of pulmonary edema and treat if necessary ... . Monitor for shock and treat if necessary ... . For eye contamination, flush eyes immediately with water. Irrigate each eye continuously with 0.9% saline (NS) during transport ... . Do not use emetics. For ingestion, rinse mouth and administer 5 mg/kg up to 200 ml of water for dilution if the patent can swallow, has a strong gag reflex, and does not drool ... . Do not attempt to neutralize. /Ammonia and related compounds/

Advanced treatment: Consider orotracheal or nasotracheal intubation for airway control in the patient who is unconscious, has severe pulmonary edema, or is in severe respiratory distress. Positive-pressure ventilation techniques with a bag-valve-mask device may be beneficial. Consider drug therapy for pulmonary edema ... . Consider administering a beta agonist such as albuterol for severe bronchospasm ... . Monitor cardiac rhythm and treat arrhythmias if necessary ... . Start IV administration of D5W /SRP: "To keep open", minimal flow rate/. Use 0.9% saline (NS) or lactated Ringer's (LR) if signs of hypovolemia are present. For hypotension with signs of hypovolemia, administer fluid cautiously. Consider vasopressors if patient is hypotensive with a normal fluid volume. Watch for signs of fluid overload ... . Use proparacaine hydrochloride to assist eye irrigation ... . /Ammonium and related compounds/

Substance added directly to human food affirmed as generally recognized as safe (GRAS).

Ammonium carbonate used as a general purpose food additive in animal drugs, feeds, and related products is generally recognized as safe when used in accordance with good manufacturing or feeding practice.

Persons in charge of vessels or facilities are required to notify the National Response Center (NRC) immediately, when there is a release of this designated hazardous substance, in an amount equal to or greater than its reportable quantity of 5000 lb or 2270 kg. The toll free number of the NRC is (800) 424-8802. The rule for determining when notification is required is stated in 40 CFR 302.4 (section IV. D.3.b).

Ammonium carbonate is designated as a hazardous substance under section 311(b)(2)(A) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and further regulated by the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1977 and 1978. These regulations apply to discharges of this substance. This designation includes any isomers and hydrates, as well as any solutions and mixtures containing this substance.