Di-Ammonium Phosphate, or DAP, came onto the industrial scene in the early days of large-scale agriculture and fire safety concerns. As folks sought better yields from crops and methods to stop fires before they started, attention turned to phosphorus-based compounds. DAP stood out, thanks to its nutrient content and straightforward behavior in soil and fire applications. The story of DAP runs alongside the Green Revolution, which pushed these fertilizers from simple lab curiosities into daily tools for farmers and industrial safety engineers. Through years of focused research, facilities refined the product, improved manufacturing, and built a deeper understanding of its quirks and risks, leaving us today with a staple for both farms and factories.
This compound’s formula—(NH4)2HPO4—says a lot about how it acts on the job. With a mix of nitrogen and phosphorus, Mflam DAP handles not only feeding major crops but also serves as a respected flame retardant in plastics and textiles under that brand. Once it hit the market labeled as “Mflam DAP,” it grabbed attention for its cost, simple application, and predictable performance. These qualities encouraged not just use in agriculture, but also in safety gear, fire-resistant coatings, and a few surprising industrial processes. Talking to engineers and farmers, there’s a sense that Mflam DAP delivers a rare blend of strength and reliability if handled right.
At room temperature, Mflam DAP appears as a white, crystalline powder, leaning toward non-hygroscopic if the packaging stays sealed tight. Soluble in water, it releases ammonia and phosphoric acid, making it effective where quick action matters—like feeding plant roots fast, or spreading out through a dry chemical fire extinguisher. Boiling brings out ammonia fumes, a sharp reminder to handle with care, particularly in closed rooms. Most of the time, users watch out for caking and dust, which can lead to handling headaches and potential health risks if protection falls short.
People working with DAP keep their eyes on purity, with a good product running at 99% active compound, and nitrogen entry points sitting near 18% by weight alongside about 46% phosphate. Labels need to show not just this data, but also moisture, solubility limits, and the potential for dust. International shipping and farm use both require clear hazard icons, batch data, and supplier codes. Secure packaging, usually plastic-lined bags or drums, helps cut down the risk of spills, accidental mixing, or moisture grabbing during storage. Checking labels against global standards (such as GHS or REACH) saves headaches later if regulators come knocking or shipments cross borders.
Manufacturing Mflam DAP calls for phosphoric acid and ammonia to meet under controlled temperature, stirring up a neutralization reaction. This process, running at moderate heat, throws off DAP crystals that settle out after cooling. Factories constantly tweak the ammonia-to-acid ratio to get the right grade. Most struggle with the same bottlenecks: gases escaping, tough filtration steps, and keeping equipment free of corrosion. A few plants recycle byproducts for cost and environmental reasons, though local rules decide how far this goes.
DAP’s chemical life rolls on past production. In the lab or industry, mixing DAP with acids boosts the phosphorus supply, while using it with alkaline materials splits out ammonia. For fire safety, some users blend DAP with other phosphates or nitrogen sources to get improved flame resistance in plastics and insulation. These tweaks depend on the final use—sometimes strength, sometimes solubility, or improved shelf life. Chemists working in R&D labs find themselves fine-tuning formulas, seeking new roles for an old product by changing a variable and watching what happens down the line.
This compound hides under plenty of names: ammonium phosphate dibasic, DAP, di-ammonium hydrogen phosphate, and specific trade names like Mflam DAP. Reading through Material Safety Data Sheets reveals these aliases, which all trace back to the same core formula. The alphabet soup can trip up newcomers, especially when different grades get slight tweaks or additives. In online trading, these synonyms sometimes encourage shady sellers, so double-checking CAS numbers and sourcing remains smart.
Working with DAP, safety folks stress basics—avoid breathing dust, eyeball personal protective gear for even short jobs, and think about ventilation in storage. The MSDS highlights risks: skin and eye irritation, minor risk of ammonia fume exposure, and small but real dangers if heat or acid finds the powder. Fire risk doesn’t come from DAP itself, but from what happens by accident—mixing with certain metals or organics. Long-haul experience shows that regular training, quick spill response, and a strong culture of “clean as you go” keep accidents rare. In big plants, backup containment and automatic monitoring cut down loss and liability.
Mflam DAP draws steady business from farms and manufacturing. In agriculture, its balanced nutrient supply plays a key role each planting season, fitting grain crops, fruits, and a host of specialty fields. Crop scientists see the speed at which DAP dissolves and becomes available to plants as a big plus, easing timing and rate decisions with each application. Beyond farming, Mflam DAP lines shelves in factories making fire-resistant materials, doping plastics for cable insulation, and prepping safety coatings for critical equipment. Its direct reactivity lets industries fine-tune end products and engineers appreciate a reliable standard rather than constant surprises.
Research outfits never stop chasing a better version or new use for DAP. Recent trends lean hard on reducing environmental fallout, aiming to keep phosphorus from running off into lakes and rivers. Nanotech engineering turns up, hinting at “smart release” coatings that push only as much compound as a growing plant really draws. Industrial research teams keep chiseling away at fire safety, hoping for less toxic byproducts and longer life in coatings. DAP’s known strengths—solubility, cost, food safety—let it remain a springboard even as researchers weigh up greener or safer alternatives. The reality still stands: farmers, manufacturers, and emergency workers pick up Mflam DAP because they know what results to expect.
Research digs deep into toxicity, not just for handling but for the environment. Acute exposure—breathing dust, getting powder in the eyes—triggers irritation and mild chemical burns, but rarely worse. Chronic exposure cases in factories show mostly respiratory complaints, solved with stronger extraction systems and better mask compliance. Ecologists track DAP’s legacy, especially after heavy farm runoff accelerates algae growth downstream, a stubborn cycle of fish kills and water treatment headaches. Efforts now push for buffer zones, smarter dosing on fields, and clear rules on storage to keep overspill from hurting folks or wildlife. Training, personal protective gear, and regular monitoring do as much good as any regulatory move.
Looking down the road, Mflam DAP faces steady challenges and opportunities in equal measure. Farmers want more for less—less soil loss, less runoff, more crop per acre. Manufacturers hunt for new fire safety certificates and try to stretch performance with new coatings. Global pressure for sustainability puts every gram of synthetic fertilizer under a microscope. Smart policy, local know-how, and steady lab work bring new formulas, safer blends, and updated best practices to the table. From my side, it’s clear: DAP’s reliability, long-standing record, and steady improvement earn its place—but everyone, from the engineer in the plant to the worker bagging up shipments, needs to stay alert to risks and new tricks.
Anyone who’s ever spent time around farming or gardening knows one simple truth: plants demand more from their environment than just water and sunshine. They crave nutrients. Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), branded under different names including Mflam DAP, takes center stage in delivering those essential nutrients.
DAP brings something special to the table. It hands crops crucial nitrogen and phosphorus, the very stuff that powers vigorous root systems and spike growth above ground. I’ve watched fields transform after a single, well-timed application—wheat stalks shooting up, rice paddies growing thicker, and maize putting out confident ears. Farmers don’t toss DAP onto their soils just because it’s trendy. They use it because it gets results that spring right out of the ground and into their balance sheets.
Healthy grains and vegetables rely on phosphorus, which helps seeds germinate and roots spread deep. Nitrogen, on the other hand, feeds lush green leaves. DAP stands out because it packs both in a form plants can easily use.
People often overlook the fact that many soils simply can’t supply enough of these nutrients on their own. DAP steps in, providing a kickstart early in the growing season. On smallholder farms, a single sack can make the difference between a lean harvest and enough food to carry a family through the year. Large-scale farmers depend on DAP because every ton of higher yield pays off, especially when markets are unpredictable.
DAP’s story doesn’t stop at crops. The compound finds work in the industrial world too. It partners up with flame retardants like Mflam for building materials, textiles, and plastics. I’ve stood on construction sites where treated timber proved more resilient in fire safety demonstrations. Builders rely on these treatments, not just for safety codes, but for peace of mind. That’s something you can’t put a price on when lives could be at stake.
Warehouse managers and logistics crews know that DAP treatments slow burning and buy valuable minutes if a fire ever breaks out. In manufacturing, companies integrate it into polymers and textiles meant for uniforms and furnishings, all to reduce the risk of disaster.
DAP isn’t a magic bullet. Too much applied the wrong way hurts rivers and lakes, feeding algae that lead to oxygen-starved water. I’ve talked to folks who monitor watersheds every year; their message stays the same—use what’s needed, not more. Smart agriculture now leans on soil testing and targeted application instead of blanket spreading. Some co-ops rent out testing kits to nearby growers, and neighborhood meetings focus on how to get the best crop with the least runoff.
Over in industry, regulations push companies to control emissions during DAP production and application. Discussions on duty shifts often include reminders about protective gear and careful material handling. People on the ground know corner-cutting brings risks both for health and the surrounding community.
Every bag of DAP carries responsibility. Farmers and industry workers alike see both the promise and pitfalls each day. Using this tool wisely gives us better food, stronger materials, and safer workplaces—with fewer headaches for generations to come.
Di-Ammonium Phosphate Mflam DAP shows up in agriculture, firefighting, and even some industrial uses. This chemical packs a punch as a source of both nitrogen and phosphorus, helping crops grow faster and better. People also count on DAP to fight wildfires before they get out of hand. Those qualities sound positive, but getting careless with DAP can lead to some pretty big problems.
If you've spent any time around warehouses or farm supply shops, you notice that where and how chemicals get stored really matters. DAP, like a lot of fertilizers, absorbs moisture from the air. Piles of it can get lumpy, hard, or even release ammonia into the air if humidity runs high. Too much moisture also sets up problems for the stability of the compound. Some folks keep bags up off concrete floors and away from drafty doorways. Using a dry, well-ventilated space helps keep DAP from clumping and protects anyone walking by from breathing in dust or ammonia fumes.
Anyone who has scooped a bag of fertilizer knows how quickly dust can rise up. With DAP, that’s not just a mild annoyance; that dust can sneak into your eyes, lungs, or settle on your hands and clothes. Studies have linked fertilizer dust to breathing trouble when folks inhale it over time. A reliable set of gloves, a dust mask, and some safety goggles cut out almost all the hassle here. Washing your hands right after handling the product keeps it out of your mouth or off your face. A simple water rinse usually does the trick.
Mixing up different chemicals to chase bigger results tempts a lot of people. My uncle once tried adding two fertilizers together and ended up with a bucket that nearly boiled over. DAP doesn’t mix well with strong alkaline substances like lime—it’ll kick off ammonia fumes in a hurry. If you’re not sure about what plays well together, most manufacturers print clear warnings and charts on the packaging. Checking labels before combining saves a lot of cleaning and possible burns.
DAP by itself does not burn easily, but the story changes if it’s near a fuel source or gets exposed to high heat. After big warehouse fires in Texas and elsewhere, investigators found that ammonium phosphates can help fires grow if mixed with organic materials. Keeping fertilizer piles away from fuel or heat sources is half the battle. Workers also need a plan that doesn’t just rely on fire extinguishers. Regular checks and some staff training turn emergencies into manageable cleanup jobs, not tragedies.
On job sites, people slip into routines and overlook simple safe practices. Routine safety sessions help keep folks sharp, especially with something like DAP that seems harmless until it’s not. Signs posted by storage areas and mixing stations, along with reminders during team meetings, make a real difference. From personal experience, even old hands forget rules after a few months. Quick refreshers—showing how to use PPE or what to do in case of a spill—stick with people better than any training manual.
Sometimes things spill. Anyone who’s worked in a warehouse or field for long has seen bags rip or products get dumped. Sweeping up DAP quickly and disposing of it according to local environmental rules avoids bigger headaches down the line. Keeping a broom and dustpan handy lets people tackle small messes on the fly, instead of letting the mess spread around. Water should never be used to wash DAP into drains—clean up the solid material first.
Di-Ammonium Phosphate won’t cause trouble if folks treat it with respect. The little things—dry storage, gloves and masks, clear instructions, regular training—add up to a safe workplace. Companies save money by avoiding health claims or fire damage; workers breathe easier knowing exactly what boundaries to set. In a world with enough risks, sweating the details with DAP just makes sense.
Di-Ammonium Phosphate, often called DAP, gets used in farms and factories all around. It’s favored by many because it pairs strong crop nutrition with some decent fire-retardant properties. Every time a bag labeled “Mflam DAP” shows up at a fertilizer depot or at an industrial supplier, the discussion turns to its chemical backbone: what exactly is inside, and what does that mean in the real world?
Talking numbers, DAP's core composition lands around NH4 2HPO4. What this boils down to is two ammonium ions (NH4+) linked up with a phosphate ion (HPO42-). On paper and on the label, you’ll spot DAP listed as 18-46-0, meaning 18% nitrogen and 46% phosphorus (by way of P2O5). Farmers rarely memorize formulas, but most remember those numbers.
The "Mflam" tag means this DAP isn’t just for fields; it often ends up in the fireproofing sector too. A fertilizer-grade DAP doesn’t always double as a flame retardant, but the Mflam version goes through a cleaning and refining process, removing heavy metals and random contaminants. What’s left is a white-to-off-white powder or crystal, stacking up high on both purity and solubility. Phosphates play a huge role in starving flames of oxygen, so the chemistry isn’t just about feeding roots.
The nitrogen in DAP takes the form of ammonium, which means it deals with soils in a steady, almost slow-release fashion, not washing away at every rain like simple urea can. This brings both nutrition for plants and less environmental runoff—an important point for anyone who’s seen algae pile up in rivers after a heavy storm. Phosphorus, the other major player, helps roots and flowers get going; it's one of those nutrients crops gobble up with surprising speed once spring hits. Every farm season, fields lacking phosphorus struggle to find their stride.
People sometimes overlook what’s not in the bag. A solid Mflam DAP runs with strict limits on impurities like arsenic, lead, and cadmium. These metals find their way into knockoff fertilizer, but in regulated product, levels drop far below international safety limits. That’s not trivia for a scientist; it's peace of mind if you’re eating crops grown on DAP-fed soil or handling the product in a warehouse.
Every ton of DAP that leaves a plant started its life in a chemical reaction: phosphoric acid meets ammonia, creating heat and forming a slurry. Factories manage heat and pH to hold onto product quality. Shoddy controls result in poor granules, low solubility, or contaminated runoff from the plant itself. Even after leaving the factory, improper storage can turn a dry, free-flowing DAP into sticky clumps, which complicates spreading and reduces effectiveness.
What keeps this process safe and clean? Strong regulation, routine testing, and companies investing in both cleaner technology and trained personnel. There’s room for better practices. Support for green chemistry—techniques cutting back on waste and emissions—can mean less environmental blowback over time. Farmers and industrial users, too, can demand full transparency, not just on nutrient content but on heavy metal levels.
We all want better crops, safer manufacturing, and cleaner environments. Knowing what goes into each grain of DAP—right down to each element and each trace impurity—helps everyone make smarter choices on farm fields and in factories. More honest labeling and stricter production standards could keep health, productivity, and the land itself in stronger shape for years.
Mflam DAP is a solid, crystalline fertilizer widely used for its high nutrient content. It packs a punch in both agriculture and industry, but this strength means it deserves some respect in storage. Leaving it to sit wherever there’s space can spell trouble, not just for your bottom line but also for safety. My farm neighbors learned that the hard way more than once—misplaced bags, improper cover, and moisture together make a mess that’s expensive and dangerous to clean up.
I’ve seen fertilizer that looked fine one day turn into a sticky block because someone skimped on waterproofing. If you let moisture in, Di-Ammonium Phosphate starts to cake up. It clumps, becomes hard to spread, and loses its punch. Moisture can even trigger mild chemical changes, and if you’re unlucky, you might end up with a pungent ammonia smell wafting through the shed. So, I always say: always make sure the spot is not just shaded, but totally dry. Investing in a concrete floor sounds like a drag—until you watch bags of product soak up condensation from a dirt floor in spring. Any walls and roof should stop leaks and keep rain or ground water out.
It’s tempting to squeeze as many pallets as possible into storage, especially in peak season. But airflow plays a big role in keeping humidity at bay. Cramped areas hold onto dampness, which feeds clumping and even mold. I’ve seen folks stack bags right up to the rafters, only to discover that the unseen layers near the roof suffer worst. A little space around the stacks can prevent a lot of headaches later. Keep a window or louver open if you can, but keep water out.
Stores and sheds fill up quick, so mixing storage with other fertilizers or chemicals can seem like a shortcut. This is risky. Di-Ammonium Phosphate reacts with some substances—especially substances containing chlorine or strong acids—to create unwanted byproducts. Some of these can be corrosive or give off bad fumes. Every label says to store separately, and experience teaches that the advice is good—just a few inches apart doesn’t count. If you can, draw a distinct boundary with signs and shelving.
Rodents gnaw on fertilizer bags for warmth or nesting, not food. Torn sacks invite moisture and create waste. I’ve tried everything—traps, mesh, regular cleanup. Store the DAP in sealed containers or use heavy-duty bags. Don’t drag sacks across gravel, or toss them around. Rough handling leaks out both product and profit. Each year around planting, I see the same story: someone finds half-empty bags chewed open at the bottom of the pile. Fixing the floor and checking for gaps in walls matters—mice need less space than you think to get in.
Extreme heat isn’t a friend to Di-Ammonium Phosphate. Hot weather speeds up chemical changes and can make the air inside a shed stifling, which seems to make smells worse. Cold areas can create condensation and dampness. Storing the product somewhere with good temperature control—nothing fancy, just out of direct sunlight and shielded from wild temperature swings—goes a long way. I’ve saved whole tons of product just by skipping the temptation to leave bags by a sunny wall for “just a few days.”
It sounds obvious, but clear, weatherproof labels on every stack keep confusion and mistakes down. Make the habit of rotating old stocks to the front, and check for torn packaging each time you grab a bag. I use a simple checklist to catch problems early.
Di-Ammonium phosphate, or DAP, sits on farms around the world. It brings both nitrogen and phosphorus, two nutrients plants can’t do without. The Mflam-branded version often lands in the hands of farmers looking for reliable crop growth. The real question, though, is whether this type of fertilizer leaves the earth better— or worse — for future crops and communities.
I grew up in a rural area where folks had more bags of DAP than groceries on hand during planting season. Corn, wheat, and rice all seem to shoot up better after a bout of phosphate-rich fertilizer. Field trials back up what old-timers already know: crops produce more if the soil isn’t starving for phosphorus. That means more food per acre and less pressure to clear new land. Using DAP can help squeeze more from land that’s already cultivated. If hunger and shrinking farmland are worries—and they should be—DAP gives a bit of breathing room.
This story has a shadow. Waterways turn green with algae in some areas, especially near farming regions. I took a road trip down the Mississippi once and saw lakes like pea soup. Phosphorus runoff stands as a big culprit. Heavy rains hit fields, fertilizers move, and the chemicals gather downstream. The next thing you know, fish are gasping for oxygen, and beaches smell foul. Official numbers show over 65% of lakes in certain US agricultural belts fight phosphorus pollution—much of it from fertilizers like DAP.
Making DAP uses phosphate rock. Mining leaves a permanent mark. Companies dig up fields, forests, and wetlands to get at those phosphate deposits, disturbing habitats that never recover fully. Native species don’t come back. Big piles of phosphogypsum, a mining waste product, stack up and threaten nearby rivers and groundwater. Once those chemicals seep out—they stay for decades. Local reports from Florida to Morocco link phosphate processing plants to rashes, odd cancer rates, and heavy metal contamination.
Ammonia production, a key part of DAP, burns lots of fossil fuels. Each ton of DAP releases climate-warming carbon dioxide. The International Fertilizer Association pegs the industry’s yearly emissions near 465 million tons—more than some whole countries. Swing by any industrial fertilizer plant, and the flares and smokestacks tell a story you can smell for miles.
Farmers, scientists, and regulators aren’t helpless. Buffer strips—grassy borders along waterways—keep much of the run-off from reaching rivers. The town where I live started using sensors and satellite data to measure exact phosphorus needs. This practice, called precision agriculture, slashes waste and pollution. Some researchers study slow-release coatings for DAP granules. Others experiment with “biostimulants” that boost soil health and crop yields using natural microbes, cutting dependence on industrial fertilizer.
At the end of the day, Mflam DAP carries both promise and peril. Growing food at scale often means accepting trade-offs. By demanding cleaner mining, supporting smarter fertilizer use, and pushing for better regulation, communities can tilt the balance. There’s no magic bullet—just room for informed action and honest reckoning with the stains left on water, air, and land.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | Diammonium hydrogen phosphate |
| Other names |
DAP Diammonium hydrogen phosphate Diammonium phosphate |
| Pronunciation | /daɪ-əˈmoʊniəm ˈfæɪtəʊˌmeɪflæm ˈdiːˈeɪˈpiː/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 7783-28-0 |
| Beilstein Reference | 1713885 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:63042 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL1201427 |
| ChemSpider | 19827714 |
| DrugBank | DB11134 |
| ECHA InfoCard | ECHA InfoCard: 01-2119490974-22-XXXX |
| EC Number | 231-987-8 |
| Gmelin Reference | 54354 |
| KEGG | KEGG:C01778 |
| MeSH | Dipotassium Phosphate"[MeSH] |
| PubChem CID | 197148 |
| RTECS number | BQ9625000 |
| UNII | 18T0J8745M |
| UN number | UN3077 |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | (NH4)2HPO4 |
| Molar mass | 132.06 g/mol |
| Appearance | White free flowing powder |
| Odor | Odorless |
| Density | 1.8 g/cm³ |
| Solubility in water | Soluble in water |
| log P | -2.0 |
| Vapor pressure | Negligible |
| Acidity (pKa) | 7.2 |
| Basicity (pKb) | 6.8 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | Diamagnetic |
| Dipole moment | 6.06 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 156 J/(mol·K) |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | -283.4 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -282.49 kcal/mol |
| Pharmacology | |
| ATC code | SN700 |
| Hazards | |
| Main hazards | May intensify fire; oxidizer. Causes serious eye irritation. |
| GHS labelling | GHS labelling: "Warning, Exclamation mark, H319: Causes serious eye irritation. |
| Pictograms | GHS07, GHS09 |
| Signal word | Warning |
| Hazard statements | H315, H319, H335 |
| Precautionary statements | Precautionary statements: "P264, P270, P273, P280, P301+P312, P305+P351+P338, P337+P313, P501 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 2-0-0 |
| Explosive limits | Not explosive |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 (oral, rat): > 2,000 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | > 3,162 mg/kg (rat, oral) |
| NIOSH | SB2940000 |
| PEL (Permissible) | `PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) : 15 mg/m3 (total dust), 5 mg/m3 (respirable fraction)` |
| REL (Recommended) | 50 mg/m3 |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
Diammonium phosphate Monoammonium phosphate Ammonium polyphosphate Ammonium sulfate Urea phosphate |
