Nitrogenous Fertilisers

Ammonium nitrate is a type of nitrogenous fertiliser, it’s produced by the reaction of ammonia with nitric acid. It’s highly soluble in water so plants can easily absorb it.
Ammonia itself can also be used as a nitrogenous fertiliser. It converts to nitrate, a form of nitrogen easily absorbed by plants, in the soil.
Nitrogenous fertilisers increase the nitrogen content in soil, essential for the growth of plants. They play a crucial role in modern agriculture but also have environmental impacts.

Manufacturing Process

Haber process is used to create ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen. Nitrogen is obtained from the air while hydrogen is mainly obtained from natural gas.
Ostwald process is used to convert ammonia into nitric acid. This involves oxidation of ammonia to nitric oxide, which is then further oxidised to nitrogen dioxide. Nitrogen dioxide then reacts with water to form nitric acid.

Overuse of nitrogenous fertilisers causes eutrophication, where excess nitrates run off into bodies of water, leading to excessive growth of algae which depletes oxygen levels in water, harming aquatic life.
The production of nitrogenous fertilisers involves release of greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming. The Haber process in particular consumes significant energy, leading to carbon dioxide emissions.
The production process also emits nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change and depletion of the ozone layer.