Question

Which is less toxic of the two for the body-urea or ammonia?

Answer 1

Toxic nitrogenous wastes in the body:

1. Protein and amino acid metabolism in our body result in the generation of highly toxic nitrogenous wastes.
2. These wastes include ammonia, urea, and uric acid.

Ammonia

1. Ammonia is highly toxic in nature and is readily soluble in water. So, it has to be quickly removed from the body.
2. Ammonotelism is the process in which the elimination of waste takes place in the form of ammonia.

Urea

1. Urea is produced as an excretory product in animals living on land.
2. Liver converts the ammonia produced by the protein metabolism into urea.
3. Urea becomes extremely toxic after a certain level.

Hence, urea is less toxic than ammonia.