Beirut Explosion : Ammonium Nitrate

Context

The catastrophic explosion at Beirut port evening, according to the government of Lebanon, caused by over 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate kept in storage for over six years.
A common chemical ingredient of agricultural fertilisers, the nitrogen rich compound is also the main component of the explosive composition known as ANFO — ammonium nitrate fuel oil.

Ammonium nitrate, the substance

In its pure form, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in water.
It is the main ingredient in the manufacture of commercial explosives used in mining and construction.
In India, The Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012, under The Explosives Act, 1884, define ammonium nitrate as the “compound with formula NH4NO3 including any mixture or compound having more than 45 per cent ammonium nitrate by weight including emulsions, suspensions, melts or gels but excluding emulsion or slurry explosives and non-explosives emulsion matrix and fertilizers from which the ammonium nitrate cannot be separated”.

Pure ammonium nitrate is not an explosive on its own.
It is classified as an oxidiser (Grade 5.1) under the United Nations classification of dangerous goods.
If mixed with ingredients like fuel or some other contaminants, or because of some other external factors, it can be very explosive.
However, for combinations to explode, triggers like detonators are required.
Many Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used by terrorists around the world have ANFO as the main explosive, triggered by primary explosives like RDX or TNT.
In the majority of terror attacks in India, including those in Pulwama, Varanasi, Malegaon, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, ammonium nitrate has been used along with initiator explosives like RDX.

Because it is used as an ingredient for the production of industrial explosives, anaesthetic gases, fertilisers, cold packs and has a strong possibility of misuse, ammonium nitrate is highly regulated in India, at least in letter.
The manufacture, conversion, bagging, import, export, transport, possession for sale or use of ammonium nitrate is covered under The Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012.
The rules also make storage of ammonium nitrate in large quantities in populated areas illegal in India.
For the manufacture of ammonium nitrate, an Industrial licence is required under the Industrial Development and Regulation Act, 1951.
A license under the Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012 is also required for any activity related to ammonium nitrate.

Back to Basics

Lebanon

It is a country in Western Asia,bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies west across the Mediterranean Sea.
Lebanon was conquered by the Ottomans in the 16^th century and remained under their rule for the next 400 years.
Beirut is the capital and largest city.

Source: Indian Express