What Are the Benefits of Urea?

Urea is found in the urine of humans and other mammals. Urea has a variety of uses, and can be found in countless products around your home. With it's high nitrogen content and other useful properties, there are many advantages to using urea in agriculture, cosmetics and environmental industries.

Due to it's high nitrogen content, the majority of urea is used to make fertilizer. Nitrogen helps plants grow quickly and aids in the production of a healthy and abundant crop. In addition to providing ample nitrogen, urea is also useful because it can be used as either a solid or a solution. In addition, there are very few hazards associated with the use of urea, and it does not release as many pollutants into the air as other nitrogen sources.

Urea is also found in cattle feed, because it provides the animals with a good source of nitrogen.

The high nitrogen content found in urea is useful to the cosmetic industry as well. A number of skin creams contain urea because it helps to moisturize and nourish skin. In addition to providing nitrogen, a necessary ingredient to treating rough, dry skin, urea is also antibacterial and antimicrobial. Another advantage of using urea in skin creams is that it requires fewer preservatives to maintain product freshness.

Urea is also used to help improve the environment. In addition to its use as a fertilizer, which does not pollute the air, urea also lowers NOx emissions in vehicles. NOx refers to a group of "highly reactive gasses" according to the Environmental Protection Agency. These gasses can cause respiratory problems and assist in the formation of ozone.

The Institute of Clean Air Companies notes that urea and similar agents have been found to lower NOx emissions by up to 75%.