What is ammonium nitrate - the chemical that exploded in Beirut?

A chemical engineering expert explains the danger of the fertiliser that triggered the blast

Beirut, Lebanon
A chemical engineering expert explains the danger of the fertiliser that triggered the blast
(Image credit: Marwan Tahtah/Getty Images)

Gabriel da Silva, senior lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Melbourne, on what triggered the explosion in the Lebanese capital.

The Lebanese capital Beirut was rocked on Tuesday evening local time by an explosion that has killed at least 135 people and injured thousands more.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More