With air quality a growing concern in the United States, nearly a third of Americans have turned to air purifiers for cleaner air. While these devices excel at removing particles, can they deal with toxic gases like ammonia?
Standard air purifiers cannot remove ammonia. An activated carbon filter impregnated with potassium permanganate is required to effectively remove ammonia molecules. However, air purifiers that contain activated carbon filters can reduce the smell of ammonia in the home to some extent.
This article explains everything you need to know about ammonia, including how it enters our homes and how we can eliminate it.
Air Purifiers That Can Remove Ammonia
Air purifiers remove contaminants from the air to provide a clean, healthy-to-breathe environment.
They contain a series of filters that trap pollutants like dust, debris, bacteria and mold.
The range of pollutants that an air purifier can remove is defined by its filters, which can include:
- True HEPA
- Activated carbon
- UV light
- Ionizer
- Pre-filter
Air purifiers can only remove ammonia if they have unique chemical gas filtering media that is compatible with ammonia installed.
Air purifiers that use combined activated carbon and potassium permanganate filters can remove ammonia.
Generally activated carbon filters are used to clear the gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air. Activated charcoal is not effective against nitrogen compounds like ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites itself.
However, it can reduce the ammonia smell to some extent.
Under normal circumstances, the ammonia concentration in the air is low, and carbon filters may be sufficient to eliminate its odor.
However, in cases of ammonia shock (due to leaks, fire breakout, etc.), carbon filters alone are not suitable.
HEPA filters are also useless when it comes to removing ammonia. No matter what the molecule size, the gases will simply pass right through the filter pores of a HEPA filter as these are made to trap particles (solid contaminants).
For an air purifiers to effectively remove ammonia it must have advanced gas filters. Activated carbon impregnated with potassium permanganate is the most effective.
Up until recently these air purifiers were only available commercially, or for industry. A few brands, including Phoenix and Airpura now make these filters for portable air purifiers that are suitable for our homes.
If you are more interested in removing just the smell of ammonia, then any air purifier with an activated carbon filter will be able to help. Most brands offer these types, including Pure Enrichment, Medify and Alen.
Ozone Generators And Ammonia Elimination
Ozonation is a widely practiced method for ammonia removal. Although ozone requires high production levels to effectively oxidize ammonia, it can kill the microbes that produce ammonia.
Ozone generators are viable for ammonia elimination, especially near agricultural or industrial areas.
However, ozone is a dangerous gas, and due to its harmful effects on health, we don’t recommend using ozone generators in homes. The EPA has more detailed information about the risks of ozone generators available here.
How To Eliminate Ammonia Without A Purifier
The smell of Ammonia remains in the air for several days. The gas molecules are light and tend to rise, and then linger in our air.
If suitable air purifiers or gas filters are not used, ammonia can stay up to a week in the atmosphere. It’s important to remove or reduce the amount of airborne ammonia in our home as it can trigger allergic responses
Here are some of the traditional and modern methods for ammonia elimination:
- Air purifiers that filter ammonia are difficult to find but investing in the right one can ensure efficient ammonia filtration for many years.
- Traditionally, white vinegar has been used to get rid of the ammonia smell. It contains acetic acid that bonds with volatile molecules and, as a result, kills the odor.
- Dilute hydrogen peroxide solution (water and peroxide in 70-30 ratio) is an excellent disinfectant and clears the air off ammonia in no time.
- Baking soda is beneficial in eliminating pet urine smell. Since animal urine can cause ammonia odor to accumulate in the room, it is essential to clean it adequately to get rid of the smell.
How Ammonia Enters Our Homes
Ammonia is a gas that smells like urine or sweat that is found naturally all across the Earth, in our air, water, and soil.
It’s also created when our bodies, as well as animals, break down proteins, which then gets released into the environment as waste.
But there are a few sources that can dramatically increase the amount of ammonia in our homes:
Cleaning Products
Many commercial cleaning agents contain ammonia as an active ingredient because the compound effectively disinfects and cleans. It’s prized for its capability to seamlessly cut through grease and stains.
Though ammonia concentration in detergents and soaps is low (between 5 to 10%), it can still be hazardous for people with severe ammonia sensitivity.
Cleaning solutions around the home most likely to contain ammonia are surface cleaners, window cleaners and toilet cleaners.
Ammonia solutions are also available commercially that contain concentrated ammonia, which is more toxic.
Pets
Almost 70% of US households have a pet, and close contact with these animals leads to ammonia exposure. Ammonia is a natural product of animal metabolism.
Animal urine is the primary source of ammonia in households. When adequate hygiene is not practiced, such as old kitty litter left around the home, people are at an increased risk of ammonia-related side effects.
Fertilizers
Ammonia is an organic fertilizer that supports plant growth. Fertilizers contain almost 87% of anhydrous ammonia.
Fertilizers are also a significant source of ammonia when used for gardening around the outside of the home, and especially when added to the pots of houseplants.
Pipe Leaks
Cracks or blockages in plumbing pipes can cause sewer gas to leak into our homes. The gas contains ammonia, and the pungent odor of the ammonia compound can seep into the house through the drains.
Plentiful air has a detailed guide on determining why your house smells like ammonia (or urine) available here.
Why Ammonia Can Be A Bad Thing
Ammonia is a toxic gas with an awful smell. There are three ways in which we can be exposed to ammonia:
- Inhaling ammonia gas
- Swallowing ammonia solutions or products containing the compound
- Skin contact with ammonia products
There are also several reasons why you should remove ammonia from your house:
Smell
Ammonia has a strong, pungent odor that irritates the throat. Even small concentrations of ammonia have a distinct smell that is uncomfortable, especially for people with pre-existing respiratory distress.
Detection of ammonia by odor occurs as low as 5 ppm, but most people will be able to smell ammonia around 17 ppm – these are tiny amounts.
Corrosion
Ammonia is alkaline and corrosive. When ammonia is dissolved in water, ammonium hydroxide forms that readily reacts with metals like zinc, copper, and brass, including any metal fittings throughout our home.
Health Risks
Ammonia poses a range of health hazards. However, since ammonia toxicity mainly occurs after inhaling the gas, most of its side effects are related to respiratory organs.
Some of the effects of ammonia exposure include:
- Chronic irritation in the respiratory tract
- Lung fibrosis
- Asthma
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
- Chest pain
- Skin and eye irritation
- Skin burns when exposed to the high ammonia concentration
Acute ammonia exposure can cause corrosive injury to the body’s mucous membranes:
- Ammonia reacts with mucus membranes (protective membranes that lubricate the epithelium of some organs and body cavities) and corrodes them.
- It causes respiratory distress, and consequently, the affected individual experiences shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing.
- Airborne ammonia exacerbates respiratory tract disorders and also impairs lung functions.
In extreme cases, ammonia poisoning may also occur, characterized by severe irritation in the skin, eyes, and throat. It is a medical emergency and carries a high risk of blindness or pulmonary damage. If prompt medical aid is not provided, the affected individual can die within an hour.
To prevent possible complications and ammonia poisoning, you should try to remove ammonia from the atmosphere wherever possible. In case a person starts showing signs of ammonia poisoning, make sure to immediately consult a doctor.
How Much Ammonia Is Toxic To Humans?
Exposure to ammonia concentrations of 25 to 35 ppm over eight hours is the maximum safe limit for humans. Higher concentrations are toxic and can cause irritation. 2500 to 4500 ppm of ammonia leads to poisoning in the body and can result in death in 30 minutes.
On average, the human body naturally produces almost 0.5 ounces (17 gms) of ammonia in a day. This is a low concentration and insufficient to result in ammonia toxicity. However, due to its pungent nature, the ammonia smell is distinct even in small amounts, and to prevent discomfort, you’d need to remove it.
