Pressurized Harvest: The Volatile Logistics of Anhydrous Ammonia

Exactly half of the proteins in your body contain nitrogen atoms that were synthesized in an industrial factory rather than by nature. Modern agriculture is entirely dependent on synthetic fertilizer. But getting that vital nitrogen into the soil requires the transportation of one of the most volatile, toxic chemicals on the planet: Anhydrous Ammonia. This book traces the terrifying, pressurized supply chain of modern farming. Anhydrous ammonia is a corrosive gas that violently seeks water. If a transport valve fails, the gas instantly attacks the moisture in human eyes, lungs, and skin. We explore the massive logistics required to compress this gas into a liquid and ship it across the United States in massive, heavily armored spherical railcars. The narrative exposes the fragility of the freight rail network, analyzing the disastrous consequences of train derailments that instantly transform rural farming towns into toxic, unbreathable exclusion zones. Look closely at the chemical foundation of your food. Learn how the compound that physically feeds half the human race acts as a rolling bomb on our railways.