Urea (CAS 57-31-6) has Industrial Grade (N less than 46%), Agricutural Grade (46% N), Automotive Grade (Assay and Biruet), Medication Grade. Urea serves an important role in the metabolism of nitrogen-containing compounds by animals, and is the main nitrogen-containing substance in the urine of mammals. It is a colorless, odorless solid, highly soluble in water, and practically non-toxic (LD50 is 15 g/kg for rats). Dissolved in water, it is neither acidic nor alkaline. Urea is widely used in fertilizers as a source of nitrogen and is an important raw material for the chemical industry.

Specification

- Urea 46% fertilizer grade

Application

Agriculture

More than 90% of world industrial production of urea is destined for use as a nitrogen-release fertilizer. Urea has the highest nitrogen content of all solid nitrogenous fertilizers in common use. Therefore, it has the lowest transportation costs per unit of nitrogen nutrient. The standard crop-nutrient rating (NPK rating) of urea is 46-0-0.

Explosives
Urea can be used to make urea nitrate, a high explosive that is used industrially and as part of some improvised explosive devices. It is a stabilizer in nitrocellulose explosives.

Automobile systems
Urea is used in SNCR and SCR reactions to reduce the NOx pollutants in exhaust gases from combustion from Diesel, dual fuel, and lean-burn natural gas engines. The BlueTec system, for example, injects a water-based urea solution into the exhaust system. The ammonia produced by the hydrolysis of the urea reacts with the nitrogen oxide emissions and is converted into nitrogen and water within the catalytic converter. Trucks and cars using these catalytic converters need to carry a supply of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF, also known as AdBlue), a mixture of urea and water.

Medical use

Urea-containing creams are used as topical dermatological products to promote rehydration of the skin. Urea 40% is indicated for psoriasis, xerosis, onychomycosis, ichthyosis, eczema, keratosis, keratoderma, corns, and calluses. Urea can also be used as a diuretic. Certain types of instant cold packs (or ice packs) contain water and separated urea crystals.Like saline, urea injection is used to perform abortion.Urea is the main component of an alternative medicinal treatment referred to as urine therapy.The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test is a measure of the amount of nitrogen in the blood that comes from urea.