Carbamide, also known as urea, is a water-soluble, odorless compound produced in the liver and excreted in urine. Its discovery by Friedrich Wöhler helped disprove the principle of vitalism and paved the way for the study of organic chemistry. Carbamide is used in fertilizer production, veterinary medicine, manufacturing, and other applications.
Carbamide is an organic compound commonly known as urea, the major byproduct of nitrogen metabolism in mammals and amphibians. It is characterized as a water-soluble, colorless and odorless granular substance in its pure state, but will give off a slight ammonia odor in the presence of moisture.
Synthesized from ammonia and carbon dioxide in the liver, carbamide travels to the kidneys via the blood, where it is excreted in the urine. This compound can also be produced artificially from inorganic materials. Friedrich Wöhler was the first to make this discovery when he accidentally created it from potassium cyanate and ammonium sulphate in 1828.
Although Wöhler had intended to synthesize ammonium cyanate and not carbamide, his discovery still proved invaluable. Prior to this event, the scientific community believed that the biochemistry of living things differs from non-organic matter and cannot be duplicated. Known as the principle of vitalism, this concept arose from the belief that non-living things lack the life force, or the unknown element that ignites life. Indeed, Wöhler helped to set aside this theory and paved the way for the study of organic chemistry.
Carbamide is a diamide of carbonic acid as it contains two amide groups. Furthermore, its synthesis is completed through an anabolic process, which requires the use of small molecules of other agents. In this case, carbon dioxide, aspartate, ammonia and water provide the metabolic pathway. This process, known as the urea cycle, is vital for the elimination of ammonia, which would otherwise build up in toxic quantities.
Because this substance is made cheaply from synthetic ammonia and carbon dioxide, it is produced on a large scale for a variety of commercial uses. Being a rich source of nitrogen, most of it goes to the fertilizer industry. It is also highly soluble in water due to its ability to form multiple hydrogen bonds. Once applied to soil, the compound rapidly converts to ammonia and carbon dioxide through hydrolysis.
Carbamide has several other applications. In veterinary medicine, for example, it is used as a topical antiseptic and diuretic. It is also sometimes used to increase the protein content of cattle and sheep feed.
In manufacturing, it is used to produce urea-formaldehyde plastic and carbamide resin as an adhesive for laminated plywood and particle board. It is also used to stabilize explosives and, when combined with barium hydroxide, to discourage the effects of acid rain when applied to limestone monuments. The compound was once used as a flame retardant for clothing and to induce the glycation process necessary for commercial baked goods to brown. It is known by several trade names, including isourea, carbonyl diamide, and carbonyldiamine.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
