The Gaza Holocaust A Closer Look At White Phosphorus

A Closer Look At White Phosphorus - Used against Gazan Civilians

Posted by webadmin in Articles on 01 31st, 2009 | 2 responses

by Fatima | Sat, 01/17/2009 - 20:50

WP is a colorless to yellow translucent wax-like substance with a
pungent, garlic-like smell. The form used by the military is highly
energetic (active) and ignites once it is exposed to oxygen. White
phosphorus is a pyrophoric material, that is, it is spontaneously
flammable).

When exposed to air, it spontaneously ignites and is oxidized
rapidly to phosphorus pentoxide. Such heat is produced by this reaction
that the element bursts into a yellow flame and produces a dense white
smoke. Phosphorus also becomes luminous in the dark, and this property
is conveyed to “tracer bullets.” This chemical reaction continues until
either all the material is consumed or the element is deprived of
oxygen. Up to 15 percent of the WP remains within the charred wedge and
can reignite if the felt is crushed and the unburned WP is exposed to
the atmosphere.

White phosphorus results in painful chemical burn injuries.
The resultant burn typically appears as a necrotic area with a
yellowish color and characteristic garliclike odor. White phosphorus is
highly lipid soluble and as such, is believed to have rapid dermal
penetration once particles are embedded under the skin. Because of its
enhanced lipid solubility, many have believed that these injuries
result in delayed wound healing. This has not been well studied;
therefore, all that can be stated is that white phosphorus burns
represent a small subsegment of chemical burns, all of which typically
result in delayed wound healing.

Incandescent particles of WP may produce extensive burns.
Phosphorus burns on the skin are deep and painful; a firm eschar is
produced and is surrounded by vesiculation. The burns usually are
multiple, deep, and variable in size. The solid in the eye produces
severe injury. The particles continue to burn unless deprived of
atmospheric oxygen. Contact with these particles can cause local burns.
These weapons are particularly nasty because white phosphorus continues
to burn until it disappears. If service members are hit by pieces of
white phosphorus, it could burn right down to the bone. Burns usually
are limited to areas of exposed skin (upper extremities, face). Burns
frequently are second and third degree because of the rapid ignition
and highly lipophilic properties of white phosphorus.

If burning particles of WP strike and stick to the clothing,
take off the contaminated clothing quickly before the WP burns through
to the skin. Remove quickly all clothing affected by phosphorus to
prevent phosphorus burning through to skin. If this is impossible,
plunge skin or clothing affected by phosphorus in cold water or moisten
strongly to extinguish or prevent fire. Then immediately remove
affected clothing and rinse affected skin areas with cold sodium
bicarbonate solution or with cold water. Moisten skin and remove
visible phosphorus (preferably under water) with squared object
(knife-back etc.) or tweezers. Do not touch phosphorus with fingers!
Throw removed phosphorus or clothing affected by phosphorus into water
or allow to bum in suitable location. Cover phosphorus burns with moist
dressing and keep moist to prevent renewed inflammation. It is
neccessary to dress white phosphorus-injured patients with
saline-soaked dressings to prevent reignition of the phosphorus by
contact with the air.

Some nations recommend washing the skin with a 0.5-2.0% copper
sulphate solution or a copper sulphate impregnated pad. Wounds may be
rinsed with a 0.1%-0.2% copper sulphate solution, if available. Dark
coloured deposits may be removed with forceps. Prevent prolonged
contact of any copper sulphate preparations with the tissues by prompt,
copious flushing with water or saline, as there is a definite danger of
copper poisoning. It may be necessary to repeat the first aid measures
to completely remove all phosphorus.

White Phosphorus (WP) - Smoke

White Phosphorus (WP) creates a smoke screen as it burns. Phosphorus
smokes are generated by a variety of munitions. Some of these munitions
such as the M825 (155-mm round) may, on explosion, distribute particles
of incompletely oxidized white phosphorus.

Smokes obscure vision and are used to hide troops, equipment,
and areas from detection. Smoke screens are essential for movement in
city fighting. In the December 1994 battle for Grozny in Chechnya,
every fourth or fifth Russian artillery or mortar round fired was a
smoke or white phosphorus round.

White Phosphorus and Red Phosphorus burn to produce a
hygroscopic smoke containing phosphoric acids. Red phosphorus (RP) is
not nearly as reactive as white phosphorus. It reacts slowly with
atmospheric moisture and the smoke does not produce thermal injury,
hence the smoke is less toxic. The extinction for these smokes is
primarily due to scattering in the visible and absorption in the
infrared (IR). These smokes are composed of spherical liquid particles
that grow with relative humidity to an equilibrium size by absorbing
ambient moisture that depends on the ambient relative humidity. The
mass extinction varies significantly with relative humidity.

The White Phosphorus flame produces a hot, dense white smoke
composed of particles of phosphorus pentoxide, which are converted by
moist air into phosphoric acid. This acid, depending on concentration
and duration of exposure, may produce a variety of topically irritative
injuries.

Most smokes are not hazardous in concentrations which are
useful for obscuring purposes. However, any smoke can be hazardous to
health if the concentration is sufficient or if the exposure is long
enough. Medical personnel should be prepared to treat potential
reactions to military smokes once such smokes have been introduced to
the battlefield. Exposure to heavy smoke concentrations for extended
periods (particularly if near the source of emission) may cause illness
or even death.

Casualties from WP smoke have not occurred in combat
operations. At room temperature, white phosphorus is somewhat volatile
and may produce a toxic inhalational injury. In moist air, the
phosphorus pentoxide produces phosphoric acid. This acid, depending on
concentration and duration of exposure, may produce a variety of
topically irritative injuries. Irritation of the eyes and irritation of
the mucous membranes are the most commonly seen injuries. These
complaints remit spontaneously with the soldier’s removal from the
exposure site. With intense exposures, a very explosive cough may
occur, which renders gas mask adjustment difficult. There are no
reported deaths resulting from exposure to phosphorus smokes.
Generally, treatment of WP smoke irritation is unnecessary. Spontaneous
recovery is rapid.

White phosphorus fume can cause severe eye irritation with
blepharospasm, photophobia, and lacrimation. Irritation of the eyes and
irritation of the mucous membranes are the most commonly seen injuries.
These complaints remit spontaneously with the soldier’s removal from
the exposure site. The WP smoke irritates the eyes and nose in moderate
concentrations. With intense exposures, a very explosive cough may
occur, which renders gas mask adjustment difficult. There are no
reported deaths resulting from exposure to phosphorus smokes.

White Phosphorus (WP) - Other Health Effects

Systemic toxicity may occur if therapy is not administered. Therapy
consists of topical use of a bicarbonate solution to neutralize
phosphoric acids and mechanical removal and debridement of particles. A
Wood’s lamp in a darkened room may help to identify remaining
luminescent particles. The early signs of systemic intoxication by
phosphorus are abdominal pain, jaundice, and a garlic odor of the
breath; prolonged intake may cause anemia, as well as cachexia and
necrosis of bone, involving typically the maxilla and mandible (phossy
jaw). Prolonged absorption of phosphorus causes necrosis of bones. It
is a hepatotoxin.

The presenting complaints of overexposed workers may be
toothache and excessive salivation. There may be a dull red appearance
of the oral mucosa. One or more teeth may loosen, with subsequent pain
and swelling of the jaw; healing may be delayed following dental
procedures such as extractions; with necrosis of bone, a sequestrum may
develop with sinus tract formation. In a series of 10 cases, the
shortest period of exposure to phosphorus fume (concentrations not
measured) that led to bone necrosis was 10 months (two cases), and the
longest period of exposure was 18 years.

Signs and symptoms include irritation of the eyes and the
respiratory tract; abdominal pain, nausea, and jaundice; anemia,
cachexia, pain, and loosening of teeth, excessive salivation, and pain
and swelling of the jaw; skin and eye burns. Phossy jaw must be
differentiated from other forms of osteomyelitis. With phossy jaw, a
sequestrum forms in the bone and is released from weeks to months
later; the sequestra are light in weight, yellow to brown,
osteoporotic, and decalcified, whereas sequestra from acute
staphylococcal osteomyelitis are sharp, white spicules of bone, dense
and well calcified. In acute staphylococcal osteomyelitis, the
radiographic picture changes rapidly and closely follows the clinical
course, but with phossy jaw the diagnosis sometimes is clinically
obvious before radiological changes are discernible. It is good dental
practice to take routine X-ray films of jaws, but experience indicates
that necrosis can occur in the absence of any pathology that is visible
on the roentgenogram.

Source: Global Security