Risk or Resource? The Future of Ammonia Between Pollution & Innovation

When discussing air quality and atmospheric pollution, ammonia (NH₃) is often a silent yet significant player. Invisible and odorless at low concentrations, it nonetheless has a considerable environmental impact. But should we only view it as a risk? Or could it, under certain conditions, also become a valuable resource?

What Is Ammonia and Why It Matters

Ammonia is a nitrogen-based chemical compound that occurs naturally in the environment but is released in large quantities primarily through agricultural, livestock, and industrial activities. In Italy, according to ISPRA, over 90% of ammonia emissions come from agriculture, particularly from the use of nitrogen fertilizers and the management of livestock waste.

Once released into the atmosphere, ammonia reacts with other pollutants (such as NOx and SO₂), contributing to the formation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is harmful to both human health and the environment. The European Environment Agency confirms that NH₃ emissions are among the main drivers of so-called secondary smog.

Environmental and Health Risks

Although ammonia is not directly toxic at low concentrations, it has a significant indirect impact on human health. The fine particulate matter formed from its atmospheric reactions is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as increased mortality, according to WHO guidelines.

Beyond human health, ammonia contributes to soil acidification, biodiversity loss, and the eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems, as also highlighted by the FAO.

But Can It Become a Resource?

Yes, if properly managed. Ammonia is also a major source of nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plants. More and more technologies aim to recover or reuse emitted ammonia in the spirit of a circular economy and environmental footprint reduction.

In the industrial sector, plants are being developed to capture ammonia from production processes for reuse as a chemical reagent or low-emission fuel. In agriculture, the European BATs (Best Available Techniques) promote technologies such as manure covering systems, slurry acidification, and direct injection of fertilizers to reduce atmospheric ammonia loss.

Monitor to Act: The Role of Ammonia Sensors

Measurement is the first step toward managing ammonia as a resource and mitigating its risks. This is where ammonia sensors come in, devices that are increasingly advanced and accessible, enabling real-time monitoring of NH₃ concentrations in the air or near emission sources.

Today, there are compact, low-power, high-sensitivity sensors capable of detecting even very low concentrations of ammonia (in ppm). These are used in:

  • Agriculture, to assess emissions from livestock waste;

  • Industrial plants, for process control and environmental safety;

  • Air monitoring stations, as part of broader air quality monitoring networks.

The evolution of these technologies, driven by IoT and cloud-based solutions, is making continuous monitoring increasingly widespread and easy to integrate into environmental management systems.

According to the European Environment Agency, improving the measurement and reporting of ammonia emissions is one of the key actions to reduce their impact across the continent.

Our ammonia detection technology allows agricultural businesses and industrial plants to monitor emissions in real time, optimizing processes and reducing environmental impact. Learn more here: ULP-L NH3

Green Ammonia and the Energy Transition

One of the most promising fields is green ammonia, produced from hydrogen generated using renewable energy sources. This type of ammonia can serve as an energy carrier, capable of storing and transporting large amounts of energy, even in liquid form.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), ammonia could play a key role in the international trade of hydrogen. The Ammonia Energy Association also identifies it as one of the most promising options for transporting hydrogen over long distances.

The Future Depends on How We Manage It

The challenge is not to eliminate ammonia but to manage it intelligently: reduce unnecessary emissions, invest in abatement technologies, promote more sustainable agricultural practices, and, where possible, repurpose it as a resource.

The European Union, through the NEC (National Emission Ceilings) Directive, imposes strict targets on member states for reducing ammonia emissions. Italy’s National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) also includes specific measures to address this pollutant.

Ammonia is deeply intertwined with natural, agricultural, and industrial cycles. It clearly poses real risks to health and the environment. Yet with the right strategies, focused on sustainability, recovery, and energy innovation, it can become an extraordinary opportunity.

In the end, it's not so much the what that defines environmental impact, but how we manage it. Are we ready to take on this challenge?

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