Phosphorus body burden

No studies on body burden reduction methods were located. The state of definitive knowledge of white phosphorus metabolism is too limited to permit extensive speculation on methods for reducing body burden. However, it is possible that increasing selective excretion of phosphate may increase the rate of inorganic conversion of white phosphorus to phosphate (this conversion is described in detail in Section 2.3). Since phosphate is a naturally occurring component of the blood s buffering system, this would effectively deactivate the phosphorus. No methods for selectively increasing phosphate excretion were located. 

White Phosphorus Smoke. There is no information on methods to reduce the body burden of toxic components of white phosphorus smoke. 

No studies were located regarding methods for reducing body burden or methods for interfering with the mechanism of action for toxic effects. Also, no definitive studies were located regarding the metabolic fate of white phosphorus after absorption. Therefore, studies elucidating metabolic pathways would be helpful as baseline data for developing methods for reducing body burden. 

Reliable monitoring data for the levels of white phosphorus in contaminated media at hazardous waste sites are needed so that the information obtained on levels of white phosphorus in the environment can be used in combination with the known body burden of white phosphorus to assess the potential risk of adverse health effects in populations living in the vicinity of hazardous waste sites. 

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