A high school evacuated in Pescara due to alleged ammonia inhalation: what is this substance and why is it dangerous

TO Pescara was evacuated The state high school Guglielmo Marconi after a toxic substance was released in the structure causing ailments And respiratory difficulties between students and professors: as reported by the agency Adnkronoswhich cites the ASL of Pescara, it could have been ammonia poisoningalthough in the last few hours further investigations have been underway by the health authorities which would seem to exclude this possibility. Emergency services immediately arrived on the scene and the emergency response was activated protocol for major emergencies: 4 people were transported to the emergency room, all in non-serious conditions.

So let’s see what ammonia is and why this substance is so dangerous for our health.

What is ammonia

Ammonia (NH₃) is, at room temperature, a colorless gas composed of nitrogen and hydrogen: it is a primary polluting substance, irritating and toxic, not naturally present in the air and with a characteristic strong and pungent odor.

While on the one hand ammonia helps to neutralize atmospheric acid gases (pollutants such as sulfuric acid, H₂SO₄ and nitric acid, HNO₃), on the other hand participates in the formation of secondary atmospheric particulates (i.e. a dispersed system of solid and liquid particles that are suspended in the atmosphere and formed by the chemical-physical processes that occur in the same atmosphere), especially as regards the smaller one of PM2.5with negative effects on the climate and air quality.

Some of the natural sources that emit ammonia into the atmosphere are, for example, decaying organic material, animal excrement and volcanic eruptions.

What are the risks if you inhale ammonia

The dangers linked to ammonia are precisely due to its toxicity: as also reported by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Safety, it is a corrosive substance for the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. The symptoms, in case of inhalation of ammonia, are “burning sensation, cough, difficulty breathing and sore throat”.

In the specific case of Pescara, the dynamics of the accident have not yet been clarified: however, harmful contamination of the air can be reached very quickly due to the evaporation of the substance at 20 °C.