Mixing iron sulfate, a waste product from steel foundries, with ammonium nitrate fertilizer leads to changes in its chemical composition that keep it from detonating in homemade bombs, say researchers at Sandia National Lab in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The researchers devised the formula in response to a request from the Department of Defense for ways to combat the use of improvised explosive devices.
Ammonium nitrate is commonly used to make powerful bombs in Afghanistan and other countries, and it was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people.
In a press release, the researchers said that the new mixture could be even better as a fertilizer than conventional fertilizer, since it could improve the pH of soil and increase the levels of iron in food. If someone tries to alter the iron sulfate and ammonium nitrate mixture to make a bomb, ammonium nitrate turns into ammonium sulfate and iron nitrate, which can’t be detonated, they said.
The researchers won’t patent the formula for the new fertilizer—instead they’ll make it freely available in the hope that that will speed its adoption. They say the new mixture won’t cost more to make than conventional fertilizer. Still, with ordinary ammonium nitrate available in huge quantities all over the world, it could be some time before the advance has a significant impact.
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Mchanganyiko wa sulphate ya chuma, bidhaa ya taka kutoka kwa viwanda vya chuma, na mbolea ya ammonium nitrate husababisha mabadiliko katika muundo wake wa kemikali ambayo huizuia isilipuke katika mabomu ya nyumbani, wanasema watafiti katika Maabara ya Kitaifa ya Sandia huko Albuquerque, New Mexico. Watafiti hao waliunda mbinu hiyo kwa sababu ya ombi la Wizara ya Ulinzi la Marekani la kutafuta njia za kupambana na matumizi ya vifaa vya kulipuka vilivyotengenezwa kwa mikono. Ammonium nitrate ni moja ya mabomu ya aina ya nyuklia ambayo hutumiwa katika mashambulizi ya Oklahoma City mwaka 1995 ambapo watu 168 waliuawa. Katika taarifa ya vyombo vya habari, watafiti walisema mchanganyiko huo mpya unaweza kuwa bora zaidi kama mbolea kuliko mbolea ya kawaida, kwani inaweza kuboresha pH ya udongo na kuongeza viwango vya chuma katika chakula. "Wanasema, ""Ikiwa mtu anajaribu kubadilisha mchanganyiko wa sulfate ya chuma na ammonium nitrate ili kutengeneza bomu, ammonium nitrate inageuka kuwa ammonium sulfate na nitrate ya chuma, ambayo haiwezi kulipuka.""" Watafiti hawatapata hati miliki ya fomula ya mbolea mpya - badala yake wataifanya iweze kupatikana kwa uhuru kwa matumaini kwamba hiyo itaharakisha kupitishwa kwake. Wanasema mchanganyiko huo mpya hautagharimu zaidi kuliko mbolea ya kawaida. Hata hivyo, kwa kuwa amonia nitrati ni ya kawaida na inapatikana kwa wingi duniani kote, inaweza kuchukua muda kabla ya maendeleo hayo kuwa na athari kubwa. Kila mwaka, tunatafuta teknolojia zenye kuahidi zilizo tayari kuwa na athari halisi ulimwenguni. Hapa ni maendeleo ambayo tunafikiri ni muhimu zaidi sasa hivi. Wataalamu wa afya wamegundua dalili za ugonjwa wa Covid-19 katika damu Zinaweza kuongoza kwenye matibabu mapya. Uharibifu wa sehemu fulani ya mfumo wa kinga inaweza kuwa chanzo cha baadhi ya kesi za muda mrefu za COVID-19, utafiti mpya unaonyesha. AI kwa kila kitu: Teknolojia 10 za Kuboresha 2024 Vifaa vya Generative AI kama ChatGPT vilipata kupitishwa kwa wingi kwa muda wa rekodi, na kuweka upya mwendo wa tasnia nzima. "Kama ""Mwanzoni mwa mwaka wa 2020,"" ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020,"" ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020"" au ""Mwaka wa 2020."""