Production: Adriana Toca
On August 4, 2020, an explosion shook Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, causing damage to buildings and people throughout the city. The blast was reportedly recorded as a 3.3 magnitude earthquake in the Lebanese capital and was felt as far as Cyprus, some 150 kilometers away.
As for the cause, everything indicates that it originated in a warehouse that stored almost 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate. According to Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab, ammonium nitrate had been improperly stored in a warehouse in the city’s port for six years.
But what is ammonium nitrate and why can it be dangerous?
Fernando Gomollón Bel, chemist and scientific communicator , has spoken with Muy Interesante to explain the origin of the tremendous explosion, and to enlighten us about this highly flammable material.
In a Twitter thread, the popularizer explained a few days ago the nature of ammonium nitrate and its explosive nature. In essence, Gomollón explains that ammonium nitrate is used, above all, as a fertilizer. It has a high nitrogen content, which stimulates plant growth.
Nitrogen is not dangerous by itself (in fact, 78% of the air we breathe is nitrogen). But the molecule (N₂) is made up of two nitrogen atoms very tightly linked , by a triple bond, in a union that is very difficult to break; in fact, as Fernando explains in his thread, “it is the strongest chemical bond between two equal atoms”.
Therefore, nitrogen compounds are often unstable. Breaking the chemical bond of nitrogen takes a lot of effort, and requires a lot of energy. In fact, nitrogen compounds have been used as explosives for years .
However, ammonium nitrate itself is not dangerous either. “It is stable and can be stored safely. The problem comes when a flame approaches it , a spark … or, simply, too high temperatures are reached ”, he says.
When this happens, the ammonium nitrate reacts: “Nitrogen atoms, on the one hand, unite and form nitrogen gas molecules. The other “ingredients” (oxygen, hydrogen) do the same, producing oxygen and water vapor ”, explains the promoter.
The explosion is produced by the release of energy and the large amount of gas, which occupies more volume and wants to escape.
