Access to Nitrogen threatened?

[Angus]

I am going to throw this out to the chemists out there to see whether there is any validity to this. I wondered about this when I was reading up on nutrients, and jokingly commented that I was probably on a list somewhere to be watched for potential un-American activity. In a different topic string, the following was posted (highly edited):

"fermentation supplies -- some of which contain high quantities of nitrogen compounds".

My question is, can the sources of Nitrogen used by homebrewers be used in explosives? Is there a concern that a more stringent monitoring of sources of Nitrogen could result in us losing access to DAP? We already have to go to the pharmacist's counter to get simple cold medicine because of those idiot Speed junkies. Will we soon have to get special licenses to feed our yeast, or be limited to the amount we can purchase at any time?

Angus

 

[Oskaar]

Short answer is, yes DAP can be used in making explosives. Along with so many other chemicals available in the grocery, pharmacy, garden and cosmetics centers in your supermarket.

From a practical standpoint I doubt that homebrewers will have a problem buying DAP since the quantities we purchase are so low. However, if someone were to start buying DAP by the bucketfull, that would be a different story. Commercial wineries that buy in bulk may need to record their purchase history, but I doubt it. My cousin's winery in Mexico does not have to.

Funny thing, Brewbear and I were talking the other day about this, and a host of other nasty chemicals that are readily available in the lab and in consumer stores that can be insinuated into someone by ingestion, contact, etc. We both kind of shuddered at what we know and what someone with the knowledge of a clinical laboratory worker, and the access to the chemicals could do to someone.

Not a pleasant thing to ponder at all.

Cheers,

Oskaar