Then anaerobic bacteria take that nitrate and turn it into harmless nitrogen gas.

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Ammonium nitrate, a solid fertilizer composed of ammonia and nitrogen, is also a component of explosives widely used in mining.

CNN: 12 bodies recovered, 60 unaccounted for after Texas blast

One of the worst disasters in U.S. history involving a form of ammonia occurred in April 1947 when a ship loaded with ammonium nitrate -- a solid fertlizer composed of ammonia and nitrogen -- caught fire while docked in Texas City, Texas, in April 1947.

CNN: What is anhydrous ammonia?