Wildlife Toxicity Assessment of White Phosphorus

Abstract White phosphorus is pyrophoric and spontaneously combustible in air, making it an ideal signaling, screening, and incendiary material for military purposes. White phosphorus has very low water solubility, is highly lipophilic, and thus remains inert in anoxic aquatic environments. Its release to the environment also occurs during production of related munitions. The acute oral LD 50 values were 3.03 mg/kg to 4.82 mg/kg in rats and mice. LD 50 values of 4.2 and 6.6 mg/kg were seen in gavaged rats. In mammals, the acute LOAEL-based TRV of 0.186 mg/kg/day was established. Ingestion TRVs for mammalian omnivores gave a surrogate chronic NOAEL of 0.015, and a LOAEL of 0.075 mg/kg/day. The avian ingested NOAEL-based TRV was 0.0125 mg/kg/day, and the LOAEL-based TRV was 0.0625 mg/kg/day. Long-term chronic toxicity studies on mammals and other wildlife (e.g., birds, reptiles, and amphibians) are warranted. Detailed measures of reproductive and developmental impacts would be useful in TRV derivation.