Ammonia
CASRN 7664-41-7 | DTXSID0023872
IRIS Toxicological Review of Ammonia Noncancer Inhalation (Interagency Science Discussion Draft)
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Overview
Note: No major science comments were received on the Interagency Science Discussion Draft.
Citation
Background
Health effects of inhaled ammonia observed at levels exceeding naturally-occurring concentrations are generally limited to the respiratory tract, the site of direct contact with ammonia. Short-term inhalation exposure to high levels of ammonia in humans can cause irritation and serious burns in the mouth, lungs, and eyes. Chronic exposure to airborne ammonia can increase the risk of respiratory irritation, cough, wheezing, tightness in the chest, and reduction in the normal function of the lung in humans. Studies in experimental animals similarly indicate that breathing ammonia at sufficiently high concentrations can result in effects on the respiratory system. Animal studies also suggest that exposure to high levels of ammonia in air may adversely affect other organs, such as the liver, kidney, and spleen.
History/Chronology
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| May 1991 | The RfC for ammonia was posted to the IRIS database. |
| Feb 2012 | Revised draft assessment was submitted for Agency review and interagency science consultation. |
| Jun 2012 | EPA released the external review draft of the ammonia assessment for public review and comment. Additionally, the interagency science consultation draft, comments from reviewers, and EPA's responses to selected major interagency comments were also released. [Federal Register Notice Jun 8, 2012] |
| Aug 2013 | EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) announced a request for nominations for experts to augment the SAB Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee (CAAC) for the review of the EPA's draft IRIS assessment for ammonia [Federal Register Notice Aug 28, 2013] (3pp., 210Kb, about PDF), and made available the revised external review draft assessment and draft charge to peer reviewers. |
| Jul 2014 | EPA's SAB CAAC convenes to discuss the external review draft of the IRIS assessment. |
| Aug 2015 | EPA's IRIS Program receives final external peer review report from the SAB. To address SAB recommendations related to the assessment of ingested ammonia and to allow completion of the assessment of inhaled ammonia, the scope of the assessment was limited to the noncancer effects of ammonia via inhalation exposure. An assessment of ammonia (oral) was added to the IRIS Multi-Year Agenda in 2015. |
| Jun 2016 | EPA submits the revised draft for final Agency Review and Interagency Science Discussion. |
| Sep 2016 | EPA posts the final IRIS assessment of Ammonia—Noncancer Inhalation to the IRIS database. EPA also released the Interagency Science Discussion Draft, Comments and EPA's Response to Comments. |
Status
Download(s)
This download(s) is distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy.
- IRIS Toxicological Review of Ammonia -- Noncancer Inhalation (Interagency Science Discussion Draft) (PDF) (95 pp, 1.4 MB, about PDF)
- IRIS Toxicological Review of Ammonia -- Noncancer Inhalation (Interagency Science Discussion Draft) -- Supplemental Information (PDF) (131 pp, 1.7 MB, about PDF)
- 1. OMB Comments on Ammonia (PDF) (1 pp, 198.2 KB, about PDF)
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