1 Phosphorus, is found in two main types: red and white,
plus two lesser-known varieties: violet (formed by burning red phosphorus) and
black (by heating white phosphorus under high pressure). All have strikingly different
properties, but the white phosphorus is the most dangerous of the four.
2 Hamburg in Germany was to be stung by phosphorus,
three hundred years after the element was first isolated there in 1669 by
alchemist Hennig Brand. In 1943 allies created one of the largest firestorms
ever seen during Operation Gomorrah the dropping of burning phosphorous on the
city. Over 40,000 civilians died.
How Urine Caused the Discovery of Phosphorus
3 On the subject of Hennig Brand, in his quest for the
philosopher’s stone, a mythical substance believed to create gold from everyday
metals, boiled large vats of urine. Once distilled, found it produced a florescent
white substance. But he hadn’t created philosopher stone, but an elixir of
ammonium sodium hydrogen phosphate. The phosphorus within the urine caused it
to glow in the dark.
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| Red Phosphorus is used in Safety Matches |
4 Phosphorus Facts
Atomic number: 15
Atomic weight: 30.973762
State: black, red, white or violet solid
Category: non metal
Melting point: 44°C (111°F)
Boiling point: 536°C
(280°F)
5 Contact with the air will cause phosphorus to spontaneously
ignite, and for this reason, is named after the Greek word for 'light bearer' or the
Morning Star, Venus.
6 The variety, red phosphorus, is used to coat the ends
of safety matches to produce a flame when struck. But if swallowed in its pure
form, white phosphorus will continue to burn, forming ‘smoking stools’ and diarrhoea. Little wonder potassium provides a key ingredient in napalm, a deadly incendiary device to cause huge fires.
7 Phosphorus is also tagged ‘the devils element’
because of its toxicity. It is used in nerve gas to disrupt signals to the
body’s vital organs, including the heart. If eaten, can cause death by managing the liver within hours.
Phosphorus Deficiency
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| Phosphorus Symbol |
8 And yet, phosphates, (phosphorus bonded with oxygen
atoms) are essential to life as it is needed in DNA, protoplasm and in forming a
component of cells walls where it orchestrates numerous biochemical reactions.
It is the sixth most abundant element in living things. The skeleton could not
do without phosphorus as it is made from carbon phosphate. In fact, phosphorus
accounts of almost 2lb of an adult’s body weight. Deficiency in phosphorus can cause anemia, bone pain, muscle weakness and eventually death.
9 Phosphate minerals are essential to plants. In fact,
the three elements key to plant health is nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus
which are added to fertilizer. Demand for synthetic phosphorous has reached
record proportions due to the low levels of phosphorus in the soil from intensive
agriculture.
10 Phosphate in the form of sodium tripolyphosphate (STTP) is added to water as a
softener, detergent and as an anti-corrosive agent for washing machines. As it
helps create suds for cleaning, was popular, but too STTP discharged in water
supplies caused an overgrowth of algae in lakes, creating a swamp. For this
reason, the use of STTP has been phased out.
Radioactive Phosphorus Therapy
11 Radioactive phosphorus, or phosphorus 32 is used in
medical studies to locate sites of tumours or chemical changes in the body.
Radioactive phosphorus therapy can be used to treat blood disorders. The bone
marrow receives a dose of radiation from the isotope that inhibits the production
of excess red blood cells, a condition known as polycythaemia rubra vera (or PCRV).
12 Other uses for phosphorus include the manufacture of
steel, inclusion in chinaware (from bone ash), baking powder and calcium
phosphate in soft drinks.
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