Ammonia – Harmful for humans, animals and the environment
People have heard of NH3, or ammonia, but only very few people know about the effects of ammonia. Ammonia in large concentrations is very harmful to people. Ammonia attacks mitochondria – our cellular powerhouses. Superficially, a high concentration of ammonia in the body presents itself in the following symptoms:
- Fatigue / exhaustion
- Seizures
- Confusion
- Lack of motivation
- Memory impairment
- Disorientation
- Joint pain and joint ailments
- Insulin resistance
Furthermore, the liver is taxed to its limits with all the detoxification. So the body becomes overly acidic and an overly acidic body opens the gates for a number of serious illnesses. Ammonia is a large component of fine dust and when it is breathed in the ammonia in fine dust also damages the lungs. That is why people with chronic lung illnesses are extremely sensitive to fine dust.
What’s more, ammonia also has massive effects on ecological health. Ammonia is frequently used as a component of fertiliser. High concentrations of ammonia in the air then over-fertilise entire moorlands, destroying them permanently. Bodies of water and general biodiversity are also damaged significantly. The ground becomes overly acidic from rain, which inhibits root growth making trees unstable.
Long story short: We need to avoid using ammonia wherever we can for the sake of the environment and our health. Agriculture is the main emitter of 95% of ammonia output. Main components of ammonia output:
- Cattle farming (52%)
- Pig farming (20%)
- Poultry farming (9%)
- Mineral fertilisers (15%)
This is where insects come into the picture: For every kg that a pig grows, it produces about 1140 mg of ammonia. Insects on the other hand, only produce 1 mg.