n-butylphosphorothioic triamide

N-Butylphosphorothioic triamide, with CAS 94317-64-3, is commonly known as NBPT and marketed under the trade name Agrotain. It is a urease inhibitor used in agriculture to slow the enzymatic breakdown of urea in soil. By blocking urease activity, it reduces nitrogen loss through ammonia volatilization, improving fertilizer efficiency. NBPT is the active ingredient in enhanced-efficiency urea and UAN fertilizer formulations.

It extends the window for nitrogen uptake by crops and is applied as a coating or blending additive in granular urea production. This allows manufacturers to deliver urease-inhibited products without reformulating the base nutrient. Livestock manure management programs use NBPT-treated slurry applications to reduce ammonia emissions from fields. Turf and specialty crop programs also incorporate these treated fertilizers where precise nitrogen retention is critical.

This chemical is essential for performance and regulatory compliance in modern agricultural practices. NBPT is supplied as a solid or in solution, with liquid concentrate formulations common for direct blending into fertilizer coatings. Technical grade is the standard commercial specification for agricultural use. It is typically sourced in bulk quantities suited to fertilizer manufacturing operations and large-scale industrial distribution networks.