Ammonium chloride

Ammonium chloride (CAS 12125-02-9), also known as E510 and NH4Cl, is an inorganic salt used in food, agricultural, and industrial manufacturing.

Where is Ammonium chloride used?

• Food: dough conditioner and yeast nutrient in bread and baked goods, improving fermentation consistency
• Food: flavoring in licorice
• Agriculture: nitrogen source in fertilizer blends and animal feed supplements
• Crop yield and livestock urinary health management
• Acidifies soil over time, requiring regular pH testing
• Textile and leather: buffering agent in dyeing baths, where controlled pH affects color uptake
• Flame retardant formulations: incorporated into paper and textile treatments to reduce ignition risk
• Battery manufacturing: helps electricity flow in dry cell batteries

Good to know: Food-grade material meets FCC and E510 specifications; technical and agricultural grades serve industrial and fertilizer applications. USP and BP grades are recognized for pharmaceutical and specialty uses.

Formulation notes

• Attacks copper and its compounds.
• Contact with strong bases such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide solution releases ammonia gas.
• Contact of the crystalline solid with concentrated low-volatility acids such as sulfuric or phosphoric acid forms hydrogen chloride.

Typical specification

• Solubility in water is 28.3 g/100 ml at 25°C.
• Decomposes into ammonia and hydrogen chloride gases when heated above 340 °C.
• Contains about 26% nitrogen.

Regulatory status

• Causes serious eye irritation and carries hazard statement H319.
• The occupational exposure limit is a TLV-TWA of 10 mg/m³.
• In the EU, there is no fixed maximum level for use as a food additive as long as use is safe; it is used in amounts necessary to achieve the desired technological effect.
• The EU harmonized classification and labelling index number is 017-014-00-8.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Store in sealed containers in dry, well-ventilated areas.
• Store separately from ammonium nitrate and potassium chlorate, in a dry place.

Frequently asked questions about Ammonium chloride

What is the EU regulatory status of ammonium chloride?

The CLP classification of ammonium chloride is harmonised at EU level under Regulation 1272/2008, and it carries hazard statement H302 for acute toxicity by ingestion.

Which crops are sensitive to chloride from ammonium chloride?

Crops like avocados, beans, and grapes do not tolerate chloride well.

What are the uses of ammonium chloride in protein purification and cosmetics?

In protein purification, it reduces protein solubility and facilitates isolation and purification; in cosmetics, it is used as a pH regulator and thickener in shampoos, hair conditioners, and skin care products.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.