This substance is produced by the domestic chemical industry in large quantities. This is due to the versatility of the ammonium sulfate formula( the chemical contains ammonia and sulfuric acid), which found its application in food production, agrarian sector, textile sector, agriculture. The substance is safe for humans, therefore it is used during the chlorination of water and as a fertilizer. Particularly good is the ammonium salt of sulfuric acid for spring application, as it stimulates the growth and development of garden crops.
What is ammonium sulfate
Ammonium sulphate is a common, in demand mineral fertilizer, usually used in the spring. The nitrogen contained in the chemical provides a momentum for accelerated plant growth, and sulfur improves the taste of the fruit and prolongs the shelf life of the fruit. Ammonium sulphate looks like a white crystalline powder sometimes with a yellow or pink tinge.
For fertilizing agricultural crops, a chemical is often used together with other fertilizers, since ammonium sulfate is not complex, and contains only 2 basic microelements. The crystalline substance is perfectly soluble in water, but can also be used in dry form for digging up the garden. The toxicity of sulphate is not revealed, therefore it does not cause harm to a person, which explains its use both for root and for foliar fertilization. Agrochemical is perfectly assimilated by plants: their roots, stems and leaves.
Formula
Nitrogen is contained in the chemical in ammonium form, as seen by the formula( NH4) 2SO4.At the same time, ammonium nitrogen is better absorbed by agricultural crops than nitrate nitrogen. This quality of agrochemical is most effectively manifested in uncultivated, neglected soils, for which it serves as the elixir of life, promoting the cultivation of rich, high-quality crops. When used in cultivated areas of this substance, its transformation takes place, as a result of which the soil receives nitrate-type sulphate.
Properties of
This crystalline structure does not dissolve in ether, ethanol or acetone. The density of the chemical is 1.77 per 1 ml, the solubility in water is 77 g per 100 ml, the optimum storage temperature is 2-8 degrees. The key property of sulfate is stability, however, contact with strong oxidants may result in an explosion or fire. Other powder characteristics:
- Ions quickly lose mobility in the soil. Due to this, fertilizer components have the ability to accumulate in the fertile layer for a long time. Sulfate does not evaporate as a gaseous compound, is not washed out by sediments and is almost completely consumed by the roots.
- Synthetic substance is not monitored. Due to this, the powder can be used for digging up soil, and it is very easy to apply fertilizer doses - the soil is simply sprinkled with crystals during plowing, slightly dipping the substance into the upper layers. When the distribution of ammonium granules is uneven, the process of diffusion with the soil quickly starts, which helps the useful components to spread out better over the fertile layer.
- Ammonium sulphate is not one of the toxic chemicals. During the application of the powder, it is not necessary to wear a protective suit and strictly follow the safety rules. Proof of the safety of the substance is their use in the food industry( for processing products with protein content, for the purpose of splitting this component).
Preparation of
An industrial chemical is an ammonium inorganic salt of sulfuric acid, which contains 21% of nitrogen in the form of ammonium cations and 24% in the form of anion sulfate. In laboratory conditions, the powder is produced in several ways, one of which is the action of concentrated sulfuric acid on a H2SO4 solution of high concentration. In addition, the substance is produced by introducing gaseous ammonia to the hot gases.
Application of ammonium sulfate
There are many ways to use synthetic powder, but the most popular is the substance in industrial spheres. The main application of sulphate is the fertilization of alkaline soil. Under the top layer of soil, agrochemical ions are released and create a small amount of acid, which saturates the soil with nitrogen, which plants need for normal growth. The main disadvantage of this fertilizer is a low percentage of nitrogen compared to ammonium nitrate.
The substance is used as an agricultural spray for insecticides, fungicides, water-soluble herbicides. Biochemistry uses ammonium sulfate to purify the protein composition. Since the granules are readily soluble in water, concentrated solutions can be prepared based on the powder, capable of purifying the protein compounds, stimulating their concentrated precipitation. This is a convenient, simple way of fractionating complex protein mixtures allowing the use of a chemical for the preparation of various medical vaccines.
Fertilizer
Powders do not have a high mobility in the ground, therefore it is retained there for a long time, due to which the absorption by its roots occurs for a long time. Dissolved water granules exclude the transformation of nitrogen into a nitrate form, which prevents accumulation of nitrates in fruits and topsoil of fertilized crops. Ammonium sulphate is allowed to be applied everywhere, regardless of soil characteristics or climatic conditions.
One-time make-up does not give the expected result, whereas the regular introduction of a substance into the ground makes the earth more acidic. On neutral or alkaline soils, fertilizer can be used regularly, and it is recommended to use sulfate together with other substances( crushed chalk, limestone) on acidic soils that prevent acidification of the fertile layer. For chernozems, such fertilizer is optimal, while ammonium sulfate brings significantly less harm to the environment, compared to other feeds, for example, ammonium nitrate.
Since the agrochemical does not contain all the necessary trace elements, ammonium sulfate should be added together with other elements - phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, etc. It is not allowed to mix the substance with thomas slag or wood ash. Especially important is the fertilization with ammonium sulfate of the following crops:
- rapeseed;
- turnip;
- cabbage;
- mustard;
- garlic;
- onion;
- corn;
- potatoes;
- cereals.
Food supplement
The GOST standards allow the use of a chemical in the food industry. Additive Е517 serves as a regulator of acidity for bakery products, flour and is considered safe for consumption. The component improves the quality of products, prolonging their safety. In addition, the additive increases the volume of food products, is a nutrient medium for yeast cultures. There is no data on the negative effects of E517 on the human body, so the use of the substance as a substitute for crystalline salt is not limited.