Phosphorus

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Phosphorus
Laura Nagel Toxicology 342 March 15, 2006
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Phosphorus (P) - Early Background

• Hennig Brand, 1669.
• Phosphor - Morning Star.
• Evaporated urine, used sand to dry/distill
  residue.
• Robert Boyle published preparation technique
  in 1693.
• Name confusion.

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Different Forms of P - Allotropy

• White Phosphorus
• Transparent crystalline solid (P4 molecules),
  waxy.
• Unstable, oxidizes readily in air, P4 5O2 ?
  P4O10
• Spontaneously catches fire (35ºC).

• Red Phosphorus
• White P heated to 260ºC without oxygen.
• More stable only reactive at high
  temperatures.
• Violet Phosphorus
• Red P heated in molten lead to 500ºC.
• Black Phosphorus
• White P heated under extreme pressure.

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White Phosphorus Use

• 1833 - White P friction matches (Modenhauer).
• 1906 - Berne Convention (Europe).
• 1912 - Esch law and Match Act (USA)
• Now used in chemical synthesis, fireworks,
  incendiary devices, smoke bombs, tracer bullets,
  rat poison.
• Modernized preparation technique.

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Routes of Exposure

• Initially used medicinally ingested, applied.
• Moxibustion, shining wonder pills.
• Today - Contaminated fish or game, contaminated
  water, contaminated soil, industrial exposure.
• Skin contact, ingestion, inhalation (phosphine).

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Acute Symptoms
Toxicity Profile

• Fatal 50-100 mg, or 1 mg /1 kg of body weight.
• Ingestion/Inhalation - Upper GI tract burning
  nausea vomiting, constipation, 1/2 - 6 hr.
• Asymptomatic Period
• Organ problems jaundice subcutaneous
  bleeding circulatory failure. Lastly, delirium
  coma death.
• Chronic Symptoms
• Phossy jaw, increased tendency for
  spontaneous bone fractures, anemia, weight loss.
• Lowered immune response due to
  decreased/limited blood supply.

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Mechanisms of Action

• Not known! Enzyme function may be inhibited.
• General protoplasmic poison. It may disturb
  oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria,
  decreasing ATP for general metabolic processes
  and cell maintenance.
• May interfere with fat metabolism.
• Confusion with arsenic poisoning.

• Antidotes
• No specific therapies no known antidotes.
• Vomiting, gastric lavage (K permanganate,
  hydrogen peroxide).
• High protein/carb, low fat, crude liver
  extracts, and vitamin B.
• Sulfur-containing amino acids.
• Intensive care.

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Case Studies

• The Lancet
• 1829 - Dieffenbach, chemist at Biel ingested
  three grains of P (0.194 g).
• 1909 - Girl tried to induce miscarriage by
  taking rat poison (0.156 g).
• BBC News
• 2004 White P used by US troops as an
  incendiary device in Fallujah, Iraq.