Ammonium Hydroxide Supply Chain - Executive Summary
Ammonium Hydroxide
Cprect Use Chemical
NH4OH
(liquid)
Inputs to Manufacturing Process:
Anhydrous Ammonia
Water
% of Total Domestic Consumption
Attributed to Water Sector:
Less than 10%
* Derivative Water Treatment Chemicals: & Understanding Chemical Supply Chains
None Map of Suppliers & Manufacturers
Product Family:
Fossil Fuels
CAS No.: 1336-21-6
2 Shelf Life:
24 Months
— RISK OF SUPPLY DISRUPTION (Assessed in 2022)
RISK RATING: Low
I rwu
RISK DRIVERS
Ammonium hydroxide is a prin-
cipal source of nitrogen in liquid
fertilizer and a primary source
of nitrogen in household clean-
ers. Though it is widely manu-
factured, use in liquid fertilizer
and household cleaners are
prominent demands, which may
leave tight supply availability
for other uses.
RISK PARAMETERS
Criticality: High. Essential for
disinfection.
Likelihood: Low. The water sec-
tor has not experienced an am-
monium hydroxide supply dis-
ruption between 2000 and
2022.
Vulnerability: Low. Widely dis-
tributed domestic manufactur-
ing and supply.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
Water Treatment Applications
Anhydrous Ammonia
Water
Ammonium Hydroxide
Input End Use
Disinfection
Other Applications
Fertilizer
Household cleaners
Chemical production
Pharmaceuticals
DOMESTIC PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION, AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Domestic Manufacturing Locations (2015):
70, distributed throughout the U.S.
® International Trade (2019)
Primary Trading Partner (Imports): Canada
Primary Trading Partner (Exports): Ireland, Japan
Domestic Consumption (2019):
206 M kg
¦ Domestic Production (167 M kg)
¦ Imports for Consumption (51 M kg)
¦ Export of Domestic Production (12 M kg)
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Ammonium Hydroxide Supply Chain - Full Profile
Product Description
Ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), an inorganic chemical and corrosive liquid, is widely used in conjunction with
chlorine for secondary disinfection. It is a primary source of nitrogen in liquid fertilizer, commercially produced
by adding water to anhydrous ammonia. The majority of ammonium hydroxide manufactured in the U.S. is used
in liquid fertilizer production.
Use in Water Treatment
Ammonium hydroxide is directly used in conjunction with chlorine to produce chloramines for secondary
disinfection (AWWA, 2015).
Use as a Precursor to Other Water Treatment Chemicals
Ammonium hydroxide is not used to manufacture other water treatment chemicals.
Other Applications
Similar to anhydrous ammonia, ammonium hydroxide is used widely and in large quantities for ammonium
nitrate fertilizer production. However, ammonium hydroxide has a lower nitrogen content (approximately 20%)
than anhydrous ammonia (above 80%), but has fewer safety considerations, allowing both to have wide use as
fertilizer in various applications. Ammonium hydroxide is widely used in the production of household cleaners,
and has use in manufacturing rayon, rubber, pharmaceuticals, wood staining, and ice rink surfacing (NCBI, 2020).
Primary Industrial Consumers
The predominant use of ammonium hydroxide is as a liquid nitrogen fertilizer. Production of household cleaners
and organic chemicals are the other most common uses, while numerous other miscellaneous uses account for
the remaining consumption (NCBI, 2020).
Manufacturing, Transport, & Storage
Manufacturing Process
Anhydrous ammonia and water are the starting materials used to produce ammonium hydroxide. As described
in the manufacturing process for the anhydrous ammonia supply chain (EPA, 2022a), hydrogen gas generated
from fossil fuel stock, most commonly methane, oil, or coal is combined with nitrogen gas over a catalyst at high
temperature and pressure through the Haber-Bosch process, from which anhydrous ammonia is recovered as a
steam. Ammonium hydroxide is formed by dissolving compressed liquid anhydrous ammonia in water, as
presented in Figure 1.
Anhydrous Ammonia + Water
> Ammonium Hydroxide
NH3 + H20
NH4OH
Figure 1. Chemical Equation for the Reaction to Manufacture Ammonium Hydroxide
Product Transport
Ammonium hydroxide with a concentration greater than 10% requires specialized transport as a corrosive
substance. Ammonium hydroxide may be transported in bulk or repackaged into smaller containers and
transported by tank or drum by rail, truck, and ship (Airgas, 2009).
Storage and Shelf Life
Ammonium hydroxide should be stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight. When stored properly,
EPA 817-F-22-012 | December 2022
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Ammonium Hydroxide Supply Chain - Full Profile
ammonium hydroxide can have a shelf life of 24 months (CF, 2016).
Domestic Production & Consumption
Domestic Production
Production data was collected from the 2020 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Data Reporting
(CDR) for the year 2019, while trade data was collected from the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC)
Dataweb, as shown in Table 1. Both production and trade data are specific to ammonium hydroxide.
Table 1. Ammonium Hydroxide Production and Trade Data Sources
Production and Trade Data
Category
Data Source
Identifier
Description
Domestic Production
2020 EPA Chemical Data Reporting
CAS No.: 1336-21-6
Ammonium Hydroxide
Imports and Exports
USITC
HS Code: 2814.20
Ammonia in Aqueous Solution
Total U.S. domestic production of ammonium hydroxide was approximately 167 million kilograms (M kg) in 2019
(EPA, 2020). Domestic commercial manufacture of ammonium hydroxide takes place in numerous states
throughout the country. The number of domestic manufacturing locations shown in Figure 2 represents
operating facilities as of 2015. Supply of NSF/ANSI Standard 60 certified ammonium hydroxide for use in drinking
water treatment is widely distributed throughout the U.S. (NSF International, 2021). For a more current listing of
manufacturing locations and supplier locations, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's)
Chemical Locator Tool (EPA. 2022b).
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Ammonium Hydroxide Supply Chain - Full Profile
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Domestic Supply and Manufacturing of Ammonium Hydroxide
O 52 NSF/ANSI Standard 60 Certified Suppliers (NSF International, 2021)
0 70 Domestic Manufacturing Locations (EPA Chemical Data Reporting, 2016)
Figure 2. Domestic Supply and Manufacturing of Ammonium Hydroxide
Domestic Consumption
U.S. consumption of ammonium hydroxide in 2019 is estimated at 206 M kg. This estimate includes production
of 167 M kg, import of 51 M kg, minus export of 12 M kg (EPA, 2020, USITC, 2021), as shown in Figure 3.
Domestic Consumption (2019):
206 M kg
& ¦ Domestic Production (167 M kg)
¦ Imports for Consumption (51 M kg)
¦ Export of Domestic Production (12 M kg)
Figure 3. Domestic Production and Consumption of Ammonium Hydroxide in 2019
Trade &Tariffs
Worldwide Trade
Worldwide import and export data for ammonium hydroxide is reported through the World Bank's World
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Ammonium Hydroxide Supply Chain - Full Profile
Integrated Trade Solutions (WITS) software as a category specific to ammonium hydroxide, referred to as
ammonia in aqueous solution. In 2021, the U.S. ranked first worldwide in total imports of ammonium hydroxide.
In 2021, Saudi Arabia ranked first worldwide in total exports (WITS, 2022), while the U.S. ranked fifth as shown
in Table 2.
Table 2. WITS Worldwide Export and Import of Ammonium Hydroxide in 2021
2021 Worldwide Trade
Ammonia in Aqueous Solution (HS Code 2814.20)
Top 5 Worldwide Exporters
Top 5 Worldwide Importers
Saudi Arabia
350 M kg
United States
108 M kg
Egypt
79 M kg
France
107 M k g
Netherlands
79 M kg
Germany
55 M kg
Canada
35 M kg
Belgium
32 M kg
United States
30 M kg
Sweden
22 M kg
Domestic Imports and Exports
Domestic imports and export data are reported by USITC in categories specific to ammonium hydroxide
(ammonia in aqueous solution). Figure 4 summarizes imports for consumption1 and domestic exports2 of
ammonium hydroxide between 2015 and 2020. During this period, the overall quantity of exports and imports
remained relatively steady, with imports for consumption exceeding domestic exports. Over this five-year
period, Ireland and Japan were the primary recipient of domestic exports while Canada was the primary source
of imports (USITC, 2021).
Domestic Trade of Ammonia in Aqueous Solution
90 HS Code 2814.20
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Ammonium Hydroxide Supply Chain - Full Profile
Tariffs
There is no general duty for import of ammonium hydroxide, however there is an additional 25% duty on
imports from China (USITC, 2022), as summarized in Table 3.
Table 3. 2022 Domestic Tariff Schedule for Ammonium Hydroxide
HS Code
General Duty
Additional Duty - China
(Section 301 Tariff List)
Special Duty
2814.20
None
25%
None
Market History & Risk Evaluation
History of Shortages
Ammonium hydroxide is widely used as a source of nitrogen in liquid fertilizer, and use in fertilizer dominates
domestic consumption. There were no identified ammonium hydroxide supply chain disruptions between 2000
and 2022.
Risk Evaluation
The complete risk evaluation methodology is described in Understanding Water Treatment Chemical Supply
Chains and the Risk of Disruptions (EPA, 2022c). The risk rating is calculated as the product of the following three
risk parameters:
Risk = Criticality x Likelihood x Vulnerability
Criticality Measure of the importance of a chemical to the water sector
Likelihood Measure of the probability that the chemical will experience a supply disruption in the
future, which is estimated based on past occurrence of supply disruptions
Vulnerability Measure of the market dynamics that make a chemical market more or less resilient to
supply disruptions
The individual parameter rating is based on evaluation of one or more attributes of the chemical or its supply
chain. The ratings and drivers for these three risk parameters are shown below in Table 4.
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Ammonium Hydroxide Supply Chain - Full Profile
Table 4. Supply Chain Risk Evaluation for Ammonium Hydroxide
Risk Parameter Ratings and Drivers
ICriticality High
1 Likelihood Low
(Vulnerability Low 1
Ammonium hydroxide is essential to
the water sector and has widespread
application in drinking water
treatment for secondary disinfection.
The water sector has not experienced
ammonium hydroxide supply chain
disruptions between 2000 and 2022.
Though the majority of ammonium
hydroxide is intended for use in
fertilizer manufacturing, strong
domestic manufacturing capabilities
and a distributed manufacturing base
provide some resilience to supply
disruptions.
Risk Rating: Low
ie-Low Moderaf
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References
Airgas, 2009. Aqua Ammonia Information Manual. Airgas, Inc., retrieved from
https://airgasspecialtvproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/Q3/Aqua-Ammonia-Technical-Data-
Manual-v3.pdf
American Waterworks Association (AWWA), 2015. B306 Aqua Ammonia (Liquid Ammonium Hydroxide).
Denver, CO: American Water Works Association.
CF Industries (CF), 2016. Safety Data Sheet for Aqua Ammonia 24%, June 10, 2016, retrieved from
https://www.cfindustries.com/globalassets/cf-industries/media/documents/safetv-data-
sheets/ammonia—north-america/aqua ammonia 24 sds na v3.pdf
EPA, 2020. 2020 TSCA Chemical Data Reporting, retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/chemical-data-
reporting/access-cdr-data#2020
EPA, 2022a. Anhydrous Ammonia Supply Chain - Full Profile, retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/waterutilitvresponse/water-treatment-chemical-supplv-chain-profiles
EPA, 2022b. Chemical Suppliers and Manufacturers Locator Tool, retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/waterutilitvresponse/chemical-suppliers-and-manufacturers-locator-tool
EPA, 2022c. Understanding Water Treatment Chemical Supply Chains and the Risk of Disruptions, retrieved
from https://www.epa.gov/waterutilityresponse/risk-disruptions-supplv-water-treatment-chemicals
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 2020. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 14923,
Ammonium Hydroxide, retrieved from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/14923
NSF International, 2021. Search for NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals, retrieved from
https://info.nsf.org/Certified/PwsChemicals/
U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), 2021. USITC DataWeb, retrieved from
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Ammonium Hydroxide Supply Chain - Full Profile
https://dataweb.usitc.gov/
U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), 2022. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Search, retrieved from
https://hts.usitc.gov/
World Integrated Trade Solutions (WITS), 2022. Trade Statistics by Product (HS 6-digit), retrieved from
https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/countrv-bvhs6product.aspx?lang=en#void
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