Ammonia smell from fresh split BL

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gzecc

Minister of Fire
Sep 24, 2008
5,123
NNJ
Anyone else experience this. While splitting my most recent haul of BL last night, I got an unmistakable wiff of ammonia from some of the rotten sections of the splits.
 
While I have not experienced this myself, my formal training tells me that the formation of ammonia as a byproduct of organic material decomposition is quite normal especially considering that the wood is very likely wet. Ammonia suggests that the decomp going on is happening in an anaerobic condition. This should pass as the BL dries out.
 
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Reactions: Jags
yeah, definitely smells awful... even the g/f has commented
 
I just split a cord of green BL over this weekend. Very strong pungent smell. Goes away pretty quickly, well worth it though.
 
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