Reducing the Loss of Nitrogen in Athmosphere by Granular Urea

One of the main objectives for the future agriculture is to achieve high crop yields but also to maintain and improve soil quality. In 1995, the European Fertilizer Manufacturers Association (EFMA) prepared eight Booklets on Best Available Techniques (BAT) in response to the proposed EU Directive on integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC Directive). In this Booklet it is show that ammonium nitrate is used extensively as a nitrogenous fertilizer. It is made exclusively by the reaction between gaseous ammonia and aqueous nitric acid, the production of which are covered in EFMA BAT Booklets 1 and 2 respectively. Reseeding of grassland may increase the mineralisation of organic material and lead to a greater amount of mineral nitrogen in soil, which can be leached during the winter-period.