phosphorus
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Phosphorus is a
chemical element A chemical element is a chemical substance whose atoms all have the same number of protons. The number of protons is called the atomic number of that element. For example, oxygen has an atomic number of 8: each oxygen atom has 8 protons in its ...
; it has
symbol A symbol is a mark, Sign (semiotics), sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, physical object, object, or wikt:relationship, relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by cr ...
P and
atomic number The atomic number or nuclear charge number (symbol ''Z'') of a chemical element is the charge number of its atomic nucleus. For ordinary nuclei composed of protons and neutrons, this is equal to the proton number (''n''p) or the number of pro ...
15. All elemental forms of phosphorus are highly reactive and are therefore never found in nature. They can nevertheless be prepared artificially, the two most common
allotropes Allotropy or allotropism () is the property of some chemical elements to exist in two or more different forms, in the same physical state, known as allotropes of the elements. Allotropes are different structural modifications of an element: th ...
being white phosphorus and
red phosphorus Red phosphorus is an Allotropes of phosphorus, allotrope of phosphorus. It is an amorphous polymeric red solid that is stable in air. It can be easily converted from white phosphorus under light or heating. It finds applications as matches and fir ...
. With as its only stable
isotope Isotopes are distinct nuclear species (or ''nuclides'') of the same chemical element. They have the same atomic number (number of protons in their Atomic nucleus, nuclei) and position in the periodic table (and hence belong to the same chemica ...
, phosphorus has an occurrence in
Earth's crust Earth's crust is its thick outer shell of rock, referring to less than one percent of the planet's radius and volume. It is the top component of the lithosphere, a solidified division of Earth's layers that includes the crust and the upper ...
of about 0.1%, generally as phosphate rock. A member of the
pnictogen , - ! colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" , ↓  Period , - ! 2 , , - ! 3 , , - ! 4 , , - ! 5 , , - ! 6 , , - ! 7 , , - , colspan="2", ---- ''Legend'' A pnictogen ( or ; from "to choke" and -gen, "generator") is any ...
family, phosphorus readily forms a wide variety of organic and
inorganic An inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds⁠that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemistry''. Inor ...
compounds, with as its main
oxidation state In chemistry, the oxidation state, or oxidation number, is the hypothetical Electrical charge, charge of an atom if all of its Chemical bond, bonds to other atoms are fully Ionic bond, ionic. It describes the degree of oxidation (loss of electrons ...
s +5, +3 and −3. The isolation of white phosphorus in 1669 by Hennig Brand marked the scientific community's first discovery since Antiquity of an element. The name phosphorus is a reference to the god of the Morning star in
Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
, inspired by the faint glow of white phosphorus when exposed to
oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...
. This property is also at the origin of the term ''
phosphorescence Phosphorescence is a type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. When exposed to light (radiation) of a shorter wavelength, a phosphorescent substance will glow, absorbing the light and reemitting it at a longer wavelength. Unlike fluor ...
'', meaning glow after illumination, although white phosphorus itself does not exhibit phosphorescence, but chemiluminescence caused by its
oxidation Redox ( , , reduction–oxidation or oxidation–reduction) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of the reactants change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is ...
. Its high
toxicity Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacteria, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect o ...
makes exposure to white phosphorus very dangerous, while its
flammability A combustible material is a material that can burn (i.e., sustain a flame) in air under certain conditions. A material is flammable if it ignites easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort a ...
and pyrophoricity can be weaponised in the form of incendiaries. Red phosphorus is less dangerous and is used in
match A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matc ...
es and
fire retardant A fire retardant is a substance that is used to slow down or stop the spread of fire or reduce its intensity. This is commonly accomplished by chemical reactions that reduce the flammability of fuels or delay their combustion. Fire retardants ...
s. Most industrial production of phosphorus is focused on the mining and transformation of phosphate rock into
phosphoric acid Phosphoric acid (orthophosphoric acid, monophosphoric acid or phosphoric(V) acid) is a colorless, odorless phosphorus-containing solid, and inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is commonly encountered as an 85% aqueous solution, ...
for
phosphate Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus. In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthop ...
-based
fertiliser A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrition, plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from Liming (soil), liming materials or other non- ...
s. Phosphorus is an essential and often
limiting nutrient A limiting factor is a variable of a system that causes a noticeable change in output or another measure of a type of system. The limiting factor is in a pyramid shape of organisms going up from the producers to consumers and so on. A factor not l ...
for plants, and while natural levels are normally maintained over time by the
phosphorus cycle The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that involves the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Unlike many other biogeochemical cycles, the atmosphere does not play a significant role in the moveme ...
, it is too slow for the regeneration of soil that undergoes intensive cultivation. As a consequence, these fertilisers are vital to modern agriculture. The leading producers of phosphate ore in 2024 were China, Morocco, the United States and Russia, with two-thirds of the estimated exploitable phosphate reserves worldwide in Morocco alone. Other applications of phosphorus compounds include
pesticide Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all p ...
s,
food additive Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance taste, appearance, or other sensory qualities. Some additives, such as vinegar ( pickling), salt ( salting), smoke ( smoking) and sugar ( crystallization), have been used f ...
s, and
detergent A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with Cleanliness, cleansing properties when in Concentration, dilute Solution (chemistry), solutions. There are a large variety of detergents. A common family is the alkylbenzene sulfonate ...
s. Phosphorus is essential to all known forms of
life Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...
, largely through
organophosphate In organic chemistry, organophosphates (also known as phosphate esters, or OPEs) are a class of organophosphorus compounds with the general structure , a central phosphate molecule with alkyl or aromatic substituents. They can be considered ...
s, organic compounds containing the phosphate ion as a
functional group In organic chemistry, a functional group is any substituent or moiety (chemistry), moiety in a molecule that causes the molecule's characteristic chemical reactions. The same functional group will undergo the same or similar chemical reactions r ...
. These include
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
,
RNA Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule that is essential for most biological functions, either by performing the function itself (non-coding RNA) or by forming a template for the production of proteins (messenger RNA). RNA and deoxyrib ...
, ATP, and
phospholipid Phospholipids are a class of lipids whose molecule has a hydrophilic "head" containing a phosphate group and two hydrophobic "tails" derived from fatty acids, joined by an alcohol residue (usually a glycerol molecule). Marine phospholipids typ ...
s, complex compounds fundamental to the functioning of all cells. The main component of bones and teeth,
bone mineral A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, an ...
, is a modified form of
hydroxyapatite Hydroxyapatite (International Mineralogical Association, IMA name: hydroxylapatite) (Hap, HAp, or HA) is a naturally occurring mineral form of calcium apatite with the Chemical formula, formula , often written to denote that the Crystal struc ...
, itself a phosphorus mineral.


History

Phosphorus was the first element to be "discovered", in the sense that it was not known since ancient times. The discovery is credited to the
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
alchemist Hennig Brand in 1669, who was attempting to create the fabled philosopher's stone. To this end, he experimented with
urine Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and many other animals. In placental mammals, urine flows from the Kidney (vertebrates), kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder and exits the urethra through the penile meatus (mal ...
, which contains considerable quantities of dissolved phosphates from normal metabolism. By letting the urine rot (a step later discovered to be unnecessary), boiling it down to a paste, then distilling it at a high temperature and leading the resulting vapours through water, he obtained a white, waxy substance that glowed in the dark and burned brilliantly. He named it in . The word phosphorus itself () originates from
Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
, where it references the god of the morning star, also known as the planet
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is often called Earth's "twin" or "sister" planet for having almost the same size and mass, and the closest orbit to Earth's. While both are rocky planets, Venus has an atmosphere much thicker ...
. Brand at first tried to keep the method secret, but later sold the recipe for 200 thalers to from
Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...
. Kraft toured much of Europe with it, including
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, where he met with Robert Boyle. The crucial fact that the substance was made from urine was eventually found out, and Johann Kunckel was able to reproduce it in Sweden in 1678. In 1680, Boyle also managed to make phosphorus and published the method of its manufacture. He was the first to use phosphorus to ignite
sulfur Sulfur ( American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphur ( Commonwealth spelling) is a chemical element; it has symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms ...
-tipped wooden splints, forerunners of modern matches, and also improved the process by using sand in the reaction: : Boyle's assistant Ambrose Godfrey-Hanckwitz later made a business of the manufacture of phosphorus. In 1777,
Antoine Lavoisier Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier ( ; ; 26 August 17438 May 1794), When reduced without charcoal, it gave off an air which supported respiration and combustion in an enhanced way. He concluded that this was just a pure form of common air and that i ...
recognised phosphorus as an element after
Johan Gottlieb Gahn Johan Gottlieb Gahn (19 August 1745 – 8 December 1818) was a Swedish chemist and metallurgist who isolated manganese in 1774. Gahn studied in Uppsala from 1762 to 1770 and became acquainted with chemists Torbern Bergman and Carl Wilhelm Schee ...
and
Carl Wilhelm Scheele Carl Wilhelm Scheele (, ; 9 December 1742 – 21 May 1786) was a Swedish Pomerania, German-Swedish pharmaceutical chemist. Scheele discovered oxygen (although Joseph Priestley published his findings first), and identified the elements molybd ...
showed in 1769 that calcium phosphate is found in bones by obtaining elemental phosphorus from bone ash. Bone ash subsequently became the primary industrial source of phosphorus and remained so until the 1840s. The process consisted of several steps. First, grinding up the bones into their constituent tricalcium phosphate and treating it with
sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen, ...
: : Then, dehydrating the resulting
monocalcium phosphate Monocalcium phosphate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ca(H2PO4)2 ("AMCP" or "CMP-A" for anhydrous monocalcium phosphate). It is commonly found as the monohydrate ("MCP" or "MCP-M"), Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O. Both salts are colourless so ...
: : Finally, mixing the obtained calcium metaphosphate with ground
coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal i ...
or
charcoal Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, ca ...
in an iron pot, and distilling phosphorus vapour out of a retort: : This way, two-thirds of the phosphorus was turned into white phosphorus while one-third remained in the residue as calcium
orthophosphate In chemistry, a phosphoric acid, in the general sense, is a phosphorus oxoacid in which each phosphorus (P) atom is in the oxidation state +5, and is bonded to four oxygen (O) atoms, one of them through a double bond, arranged as the corners ...
. The
carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a poisonous, flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...
produced during the reaction process was burnt off in a flare stack. In 1609 Inca Garcilaso de la Vega wrote the book ''Comentarios Reales'' in which he described many of the agricultural practices of the Incas prior to the arrival of the Spaniards and introduced the use of
guano Guano (Spanish from ) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. Guano is a highly effective fertiliser due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. Guano was also, to a le ...
as a
fertiliser A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrition, plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from Liming (soil), liming materials or other non- ...
. As Garcilaso described, the Incas near the coast harvested guano. In the early 1800s
Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 1769 – 6 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, natural history, naturalist, List of explorers, explorer, and proponent of Romanticism, Romantic philosophy and Romanticism ...
introduced guano as a source of agricultural fertiliser to Europe after having discovered it in exploitable quantities on islands off the coast of
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
. It has been reported that, at the time of its discovery, the guano on some islands was over 30 meters deep. The guano had previously been used by the Moche people as a source of fertiliser by mining it and transporting it back to
Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
by boat. International commerce in guano did not start until after 1840. By the start of the 20th century guano had been nearly completely depleted and was eventually overtaken with the discovery of methods of production of superphosphate. Early matches used white phosphorus in their composition, and were very dangerous due to both its toxicity and the way the match was ignited. The first striking match with a phosphorus head was invented by Charles Sauria in 1830. These matches (and subsequent modifications) were made with heads of white phosphorus, an oxygen-releasing compound ( potassium chlorate, lead dioxide, or sometimes
nitrate Nitrate is a polyatomic ion with the chemical formula . salt (chemistry), Salts containing this ion are called nitrates. Nitrates are common components of fertilizers and explosives. Almost all inorganic nitrates are solubility, soluble in wa ...
), and a binder. They were poisonous to the workers in manufacture, exposure to the vapours causing severe necrosis of the bones of the jaw, known as " phossy jaw". Additionally, they were sensitive to storage conditions, toxic if ingested, and hazardous when accidentally ignited on a rough surface. The very high risks for match workers was at the source of several notable early cases of industrial action, such as the 1888 London Matchgirls' strike. The discovery of red phosphorus allowed for the development of matches that were both much safer to use and to manufacture, leading to the gradual replacement of white phoshphorus in matches. Additionally, around 1900 French chemists Henri Sévène and Emile David Cahen invented the modern strike-anywhere match, wherein the white phosphorus was replaced by phosphorus sesquisulfide (), a non-toxic and non-pyrophoric compound that ignites under friction. For a time these safer strike-anywhere matches were quite popular but in the long run they were superseded by the modern red phosphorus-based safety match. Following the implementation of these new manufacturing methods, production of white phosphorus matches was banned in several countries between 1872 and 1925, and an international
treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, convention ...
to this effect was signed following the Berne Convention (1906). Phosphate rock, which usually contains calcium phosphate, was first used in 1850 to make phosphorus. With the introduction of the submerged-arc furnace for phosphorus production by James Burgess Readman in 1888 (patented 1889), the use of bone-ash became obsolete. After the depletion of world guano sources about the same time, mineral phosphates became the major source of phosphate fertiliser production. Phosphate rock production greatly increased after World War II, and remains the primary global source of phosphorus and phosphorus chemicals today. The electric furnace method allowed production to increase to the point where it became possible that white phosphorus could be weaponised in war. In
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, it was used in
incendiary ammunition Incendiary ammunition is a type of ammunition that contains a chemical that, upon hitting a hard obstacle, has the characteristic of causing fire/setting flammable materials in the vicinity of the impact on fire. World War I The first time ince ...
,
smoke screen A smoke screen is smoke released to mask the movement or location of military units such as infantry, tanks, aircraft, or ships. Smoke screens are commonly deployed either by a canister (such as a grenade) or generated by a vehicle (such as ...
s and tracer ammunition. A special incendiary bullet was developed to shoot at
hydrogen Hydrogen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol H and atomic number 1. It is the lightest and abundance of the chemical elements, most abundant chemical element in the universe, constituting about 75% of all baryon, normal matter ...
-filled
Zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp. 155 ...
s over Britain (hydrogen being highly
flammable A combustible material is a material that can burn (i.e., sustain a flame) in air under certain conditions. A material is flammable if it ignites easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort ...
). During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
,
Molotov cocktail A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see '') is a hand-thrown incendiary weapon consisting of a frangible container filled with flammable substances and equipped with a Fuse (explosives), fuse (typically a glass bottle filled wit ...
s made of phosphorus dissolved in
petrol Gasoline (North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When formul ...
were distributed in Britain to specially selected civilians as part of the preparations for a potential invasion. The United States also developed the M15 white-phosphorus hand grenade, a precursor to the M34 grenade, while the British introduced the similar No 77 grenade. These multipurpose grenades were mostly used for signaling and smoke screens, although they were also efficient anti-personnel weapons. The difficulty of extinguishing burning phosphorus and the very severe burns it causes had a strong psychological impact on the enemy. Phosphorus incendiary bombs were used on a large scale, notably to destroy Hamburg, the place where the "miraculous bearer of light" was first discovered.


Characteristics


Isotopes

There are 22 known
isotope Isotopes are distinct nuclear species (or ''nuclides'') of the same chemical element. They have the same atomic number (number of protons in their Atomic nucleus, nuclei) and position in the periodic table (and hence belong to the same chemica ...
s of phosphorus, ranging from to . Only is stable and is therefore present at 100% abundance. The half-integer
nuclear spin Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: * Nuclear engineering * Nuclear physics * Nuclear power * Nuclear reactor * Nuclear weapon * Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics * Nuclear space * ...
and high abundance of make phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy a very useful analytical tool in studies of phosphorus-containing samples. Two
radioactive isotope A radionuclide (radioactive nuclide, radioisotope or radioactive isotope) is a nuclide that has excess numbers of either neutrons or protons, giving it excess nuclear energy, and making it unstable. This excess energy can be used in one of three ...
s of phosphorus have half-lives suitable for biological scientific experiments, and are used as radioactive tracers in biochemical laboratories. These are: * , a
beta Beta (, ; uppercase , lowercase , or cursive ; or ) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 2. In Ancient Greek, beta represented the voiced bilabial plosive . In Modern Greek, it represe ...
-emitter (1.71 MeV) with a
half-life Half-life is a mathematical and scientific description of exponential or gradual decay. Half-life, half life or halflife may also refer to: Film * Half-Life (film), ''Half-Life'' (film), a 2008 independent film by Jennifer Phang * ''Half Life: ...
of 14.3 days, which is used routinely in life-science laboratories, primarily to produce radiolabeled DNA and RNA probes, e.g. for use in Northern blots or
Southern blot Southern blot is a method used for detection and quantification of a specific DNA sequence in DNA samples. This method is used in molecular biology. Briefly, purified DNA from a biological sample (such as blood or tissue) is digested with res ...
s. * , a beta-emitter (0.25 MeV) with a half-life of 25.4 days. It is used in life-science laboratories in applications in which lower energy beta emissions are advantageous such as
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
sequencing. The high-energy beta particles from penetrate skin and
cornea The cornea is the transparency (optics), transparent front part of the eyeball which covers the Iris (anatomy), iris, pupil, and Anterior chamber of eyeball, anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and Lens (anatomy), lens, the cornea ...
s and any ingested, inhaled, or absorbed is readily incorporated into bone and
nucleic acid Nucleic acids are large biomolecules that are crucial in all cells and viruses. They are composed of nucleotides, which are the monomer components: a pentose, 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. The two main classes of nuclei ...
s. For these reasons, personnel working with is required to wear lab coats, disposable gloves, and safety glasses, and avoid working directly over open containers. Monitoring personal, clothing, and surface contamination is also required. The high energy of the beta particles gives rise to secondary emission of
X-ray An X-ray (also known in many languages as Röntgen radiation) is a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than those of ultraviolet rays and longer than those of gamma rays. Roughly, X-rays have a wavelength ran ...
s via Bremsstrahlung (braking radiation) in dense shielding materials such as lead. Therefore, the radiation must be shielded with low density materials such as water, acrylic or other plastic.


Atomic properties

A phosphorus atom has 15 electrons, 5 of which are
valence electron In chemistry and physics, valence electrons are electrons in the outermost shell of an atom, and that can participate in the formation of a chemical bond if the outermost shell is not closed. In a single covalent bond, a shared pair forms with b ...
s. This results in the
electron configuration In atomic physics and quantum chemistry, the electron configuration is the distribution of electrons of an atom or molecule (or other physical structure) in atomic or molecular orbitals. For example, the electron configuration of the neon ato ...
1s22s22p63s23p3, often simplified as es23p3, omitting the core electrons which have a configuration equivalent to the
noble gas The noble gases (historically the inert gases, sometimes referred to as aerogens) are the members of Group (periodic table), group 18 of the periodic table: helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), radon (Rn) and, in some ...
of the preceding period, in this case
neon Neon is a chemical element; it has symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is the second noble gas in the periodic table. Neon is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with approximately two-thirds the density of ...
. The molar ionisation energies of these five electrons are 1011.8, 1907, 2914.1, 4963.6 and 6273.9 k J⋅mol−1. Phosphorus is a member of the
pnictogen , - ! colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" , ↓  Period , - ! 2 , , - ! 3 , , - ! 4 , , - ! 5 , , - ! 6 , , - ! 7 , , - , colspan="2", ---- ''Legend'' A pnictogen ( or ; from "to choke" and -gen, "generator") is any ...
s (also called group 15) and period 3 elements, and many of its chemical properties can be inferred from its position on the
periodic table The periodic table, also known as the periodic table of the elements, is an ordered arrangement of the chemical elements into rows (" periods") and columns (" groups"). It is an icon of chemistry and is widely used in physics and other s ...
as a result of
periodic trends In chemistry, periodic trends are specific patterns present in the periodic table that illustrate different aspects of certain Chemical element, elements when grouped by period (periodic table), period and/or Group (periodic table), group. They w ...
. Like
nitrogen Nitrogen is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a Nonmetal (chemistry), nonmetal and the lightest member of pnictogen, group 15 of the periodic table, often called the Pnictogen, pnictogens. ...
,
arsenic Arsenic is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol As and atomic number 33. It is a metalloid and one of the pnictogens, and therefore shares many properties with its group 15 neighbors phosphorus and antimony. Arsenic is not ...
and
antimony Antimony is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Sb () and atomic number 51. A lustrous grey metal or metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (). Antimony compounds have been known since ancient t ...
, its main
oxidation state In chemistry, the oxidation state, or oxidation number, is the hypothetical Electrical charge, charge of an atom if all of its Chemical bond, bonds to other atoms are fully Ionic bond, ionic. It describes the degree of oxidation (loss of electrons ...
s are −3, +3 and +5, with every one in-between less common but known. Phosphorus shows as expected more
electronegativity Electronegativity, symbolized as , is the tendency for an atom of a given chemical element to attract shared electrons (or electron density) when forming a chemical bond. An atom's electronegativity is affected by both its atomic number and the ...
than
silicon Silicon is a chemical element; it has symbol Si and atomic number 14. It is a hard, brittle crystalline solid with a blue-grey metallic lustre, and is a tetravalent metalloid (sometimes considered a non-metal) and semiconductor. It is a membe ...
and arsenic, less than
sulfur Sulfur ( American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphur ( Commonwealth spelling) is a chemical element; it has symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms ...
and nitrogen, but also notably less than
carbon Carbon () is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalence, tetravalent—meaning that its atoms are able to form up to four covalent bonds due to its valence shell exhibiting 4 ...
, affecting the nature and properties of P–C bonds. It is the element with the lowest
atomic number The atomic number or nuclear charge number (symbol ''Z'') of a chemical element is the charge number of its atomic nucleus. For ordinary nuclei composed of protons and neutrons, this is equal to the proton number (''n''p) or the number of pro ...
to exhibit hypervalence, meaning that it can form more bonds per atom that would normally be permitted by the
octet rule The octet rule is a chemical rule of thumb that reflects the theory that main-group elements tend to bond in such a way that each atom has eight electrons in its valence shell, giving it the same electronic configuration as a noble gas. The ru ...
.


Allotropes

Phosphorus has several
allotropes Allotropy or allotropism () is the property of some chemical elements to exist in two or more different forms, in the same physical state, known as allotropes of the elements. Allotropes are different structural modifications of an element: th ...
that exhibit very diverse properties. The most useful and therefore common is white phosphorus, followed by
red phosphorus Red phosphorus is an Allotropes of phosphorus, allotrope of phosphorus. It is an amorphous polymeric red solid that is stable in air. It can be easily converted from white phosphorus under light or heating. It finds applications as matches and fir ...
. The two other main allotropes, violet and black phosphorus, have either a more fundamental interest or specialised applications. Many other allotropes have been theorised and synthesised, with the search for new materials an active area of research. Commonly mentioned "yellow phosphorus" is not an allotrope, but a result of the gradual degradation of white phosphorus into red phosphorus, accelerated by light and heat. This causes white phosphorus that is aged or otherwise impure (e.g. weapons-grade) to appear yellow. White phosphorus is a soft, waxy molecular solid that is insoluble in water. It is also very toxic, highly
flammable A combustible material is a material that can burn (i.e., sustain a flame) in air under certain conditions. A material is flammable if it ignites easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort ...
and pyrophoric, igniting in air at about . Structurally, it is composed of tetrahedra. The nature of bonding in a given tetrahedron can be described by spherical aromaticity or cluster bonding, that is the electrons are highly delocalized. This has been illustrated by calculations of the magnetically induced currents, which sum up to 29 nA/T, much more than in the archetypical
aromatic In organic chemistry, aromaticity is a chemical property describing the way in which a conjugated system, conjugated ring of unsaturated bonds, lone pairs, or empty orbitals exhibits a stabilization stronger than would be expected from conjugati ...
molecule
benzene Benzene is an Organic compound, organic chemical compound with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar hexagonal Ring (chemistry), ring with one hyd ...
(11 nA/T). The molecule in the gas phase has a P-P bond length of 2.1994(3) Å as determined by gas electron diffraction. White phosphorus exists in two crystalline forms named α (alpha) and β (beta), differing in terms of the relative orientation of the constituent tetrahedra. The α-form is most stable at room temperature and has a cubic crystal structure. When cooled down to it transforms into the β-form, turning into an hexagonal crystal structure. When heated up, the tetrahedral structure is conserved after melting at and boiling at , before facing thermal decomposition at where it turns into gaseous diphosphorus (). This molecule contains a triple bond and is analogous to ; it can also be generated as a transient intermediate in solution by thermolysis of organophosphorus precursor reagents. At still higher temperatures, dissociates into atomic P. When exposed to air, white phosphorus faintly glows green and blue due to
oxidation Redox ( , , reduction–oxidation or oxidation–reduction) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of the reactants change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is ...
, a phenomenon best visible in the dark. This reaction with oxygen takes place at the surface of the solid (or liquid) phosphorus, forming the short-lived molecules and that both emit visible light. However, in a pure-oxygen environment phosphorus does not glow at all, with the oxidation happening only in a range of
partial pressure In a mixture of gases, each constituent gas has a partial pressure which is the notional pressure of that constituent gas as if it alone occupied the entire volume of the original mixture at the same temperature. The total pressure of an ideal g ...
s. Derived from this phenomenon, the terms ''
phosphor A phosphor is a substance that exhibits the phenomenon of luminescence; it emits light when exposed to some type of radiant energy. The term is used both for fluorescent or phosphorescent substances which glow on exposure to ultraviolet or ...
s'' and ''
phosphorescence Phosphorescence is a type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. When exposed to light (radiation) of a shorter wavelength, a phosphorescent substance will glow, absorbing the light and reemitting it at a longer wavelength. Unlike fluor ...
'' have been loosely used to describe substances that shine in the dark. However, phosphorus itself is not phosphorescent but chemiluminescent, since it glows due to a chemical reaction and not the progressive reemission of previously absorbed light. Red phosphorus is
polymer A polymer () is a chemical substance, substance or material that consists of very large molecules, or macromolecules, that are constituted by many repeat unit, repeating subunits derived from one or more species of monomers. Due to their br ...
ic in structure. It can be viewed as a derivative of wherein one P-P bond is broken and one additional bond is formed with the neighbouring tetrahedron, resulting in chains of molecules linked by
van der Waals force In molecular physics and chemistry, the van der Waals force (sometimes van der Waals' force) is a distance-dependent interaction between atoms or molecules. Unlike ionic or covalent bonds, these attractions do not result from a chemical elec ...
s. Red phosphorus may be formed by heating white phosphorus to in the absence of air or by exposing it to sunlight. In this form phosphorus is
amorphous In condensed matter physics and materials science, an amorphous solid (or non-crystalline solid) is a solid that lacks the long-range order that is a characteristic of a crystal. The terms "glass" and "glassy solid" are sometimes used synonymousl ...
, but can be crystallised upon further heating into violet phosphorus or fibrous red phosphorus depending on the reaction conditions. Red phosphorus is therefore not an allotrope in the strictest sense of the term, but rather an intermediate between other crystalline allotropes of phosphorus, and consequently most of its properties have a range of values. Freshly prepared, bright red phosphorus is highly reactive and ignites at about . After prolonged heating or storage, the color darkens; the resulting product is more stable and does not spontaneously ignite in air. Violet phosphorus or α-metallic phosphorus can be produced by day-long annealing of red phosphorus above . In 1865, Johann Wilhelm Hittorf discovered that when phosphorus was recrystallised from molten
lead Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...
, a red/purple form is obtained. Therefore, this form is sometimes known as "Hittorf's phosphorus" . Black phosphorus or β-metallic phosphorus is the least reactive allotrope and the thermodynamically stable form below . In appearance, properties, and structure, it resembles
graphite Graphite () is a Crystallinity, crystalline allotrope (form) of the element carbon. It consists of many stacked Layered materials, layers of graphene, typically in excess of hundreds of layers. Graphite occurs naturally and is the most stable ...
, being black and flaky, a conductor of electricity, and having puckered sheets of linked atoms. It is obtained by heating white phosphorus under high pressures (about ). It can also be produced at ambient conditions using metal salts, e.g. mercury, as catalysts. Single-layer black phosphorus is called phosphorene, and is therefore predictably analogous to
graphene Graphene () is a carbon allotrope consisting of a Single-layer materials, single layer of atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, honeycomb planar nanostructure. The name "graphene" is derived from "graphite" and the suffix -ene, indicating ...
.


Natural occurrence

In 2013, astronomers detected phosphorus in Cassiopeia A, which confirmed that this element is produced in
supernova A supernova (: supernovae or supernovas) is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. A supernova occurs during the last stellar evolution, evolutionary stages of a massive star, or when a white dwarf is triggered into runaway nuclear fusion ...
e as a byproduct of supernova nucleosynthesis. The phosphorus-to-
iron Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...
ratio in material from the
supernova remnant A supernova remnant (SNR) is the structure resulting from the explosion of a star in a supernova. The supernova remnant is bounded by an expanding shock wave, and consists of ejected material expanding from the explosion, and the interstellar mat ...
could be up to 100 times higher than in the
Milky Way The Milky Way or Milky Way Galaxy is the galaxy that includes the Solar System, with the name describing the #Appearance, galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars in other arms of the galax ...
in general. In 2020, astronomers analysed ALMA and ROSINA data from the massive star-forming region AFGL 5142, to detect phosphorus-bearing molecules and how they could have been carried in comets to the early Earth. Phosphorus has a concentration in the
Earth's crust Earth's crust is its thick outer shell of rock, referring to less than one percent of the planet's radius and volume. It is the top component of the lithosphere, a solidified division of Earth's layers that includes the crust and the upper ...
of about one gram per kilogram (for comparison, copper is found at about 0.06 grams per kilogram). It is not found free in nature, but is widely distributed in many
mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2011): Mi ...
s, usually as phosphates. Inorganic phosphate rock, which is partially made of
apatite Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals, usually hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite and chlorapatite, with high concentrations of Hydroxide, OH−, Fluoride, F− and Chloride, Cl− ion, respectively, in the crystal. The formula of the admixture of ...
, is today the chief commercial source of this element.


Compounds


Inorganic phosphates


Phosphoric acids

The most prevalent compounds of phosphorus are derivatives of phosphate (), a tetrahedral anion. Phosphate is the conjugate base of phosphoric acid, which is produced on a massive scale for use in fertilisers. Being triprotic, phosphoric acid converts stepwise to three conjugate bases: : (''K''a1 = 7.25×10−3) : (''K''a2 = 6.31×10−8) : (''K''a3 = 3.98×10−13) Food-grade
phosphoric acid Phosphoric acid (orthophosphoric acid, monophosphoric acid or phosphoric(V) acid) is a colorless, odorless phosphorus-containing solid, and inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is commonly encountered as an 85% aqueous solution, ...
(additive E338) is used to acidify foods and beverages such as various
cola Cola is a Carbonation, carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus essential oil, oils, and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked br ...
s and jams, providing a tangy or sour taste. The phosphoric acid also serves as a
preservative A preservative is a substance or a chemical that is added to products such as food products, beverages, pharmaceutical drugs, paints, biological samples, cosmetics, wood, and many other products to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or ...
. Soft drinks containing phosphoric acid, including
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...
, are sometimes called phosphate sodas or phosphates. Phosphoric acid in soft drinks has the potential to cause dental erosion, as well as contribute to the formation of kidney stones, especially in those who have had kidney stones previously.


Metal salts

With metal
cation An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...
s, phosphate forms a variety of salts. These solids are polymeric, featuring P-O-M linkages. When the metal cation has a charge of 2+ or 3+, the salts are generally insoluble, hence they exist as common minerals. Many phosphate salts are derived from hydrogen phosphate (). Calcium phosphates in particular are widespread compounds with many applications. Among them, they are used to improve the characteristics of processed meat and
cheese Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...
, in baking powder, and in toothpaste. Two of the most relevant among them are
monocalcium phosphate Monocalcium phosphate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ca(H2PO4)2 ("AMCP" or "CMP-A" for anhydrous monocalcium phosphate). It is commonly found as the monohydrate ("MCP" or "MCP-M"), Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O. Both salts are colourless so ...
, and dicalcium phosphate.


Polyphosphates

Phosphate exhibits a tendency to form chains and rings containing P-O-P bonds. Many polyphosphates are known, including ATP. Polyphosphates arise by dehydration of hydrogen phosphates such as and . For example, the industrially important pentasodium triphosphate (also known as sodium tripolyphosphate, STPP) is produced industrially by the megatonne by this
condensation reaction In organic chemistry, a condensation reaction is a type of chemical reaction in which two molecules are combined to form a single molecule, usually with the loss of a small molecule such as water. If water is lost, the reaction is also known as a ...
: : Sodium triphosphate is used in laundry detergents in some countries, but banned for this use in others. This compound softens the water to enhance the performance of the detergents and to prevent pipe and boiler tube
corrosion Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials (usually a metal) by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engine ...
.


Oxoacids

Phosphorus oxoacids are extensive, often commercially important, and sometimes structurally complicated. They all have acidic protons bound to oxygen atoms, some have nonacidic protons that are bonded directly to phosphorus and some contain phosphorus–phosphorus bonds. Although many oxoacids of phosphorus are formed, only nine are commercially important. Among them, hypophosphorous, phosphorous and orthophosphoric acid are particularly important.


Other inorganic compounds


Oxides and sulfides

Phosphorus pentoxide () is the acid anhydride of phosphoric acid, but several intermediates between the two are known. This waxy white solid reacts vigorously with water. Similarly, phosphorus trioxide (, also called tetraphosphorus hexoxide) is the anhydride of , the minor tautomer of phosphorous acid. The structure of is like that of without the terminal oxide groups. Mixed oxyhalides and oxyhydrides of phosphorus(III) are almost unknown. Meanwhile, phosphorus forms a wide range of sulfides, where the phosphorus can be in P(V), P(III) or other oxidation states. However, only two of them are commercially significant. Phosphorus pentasulfide () has a structure analogous to , and is used in the manufacture of additives and pesticides. The three-fold symmetric Phosphorus sesquisulfide () is used in strike-anywhere matches.


Halides

Phosphorus halides can have as oxidation state +3 in the case of trihalides and +5 for pentahalides and chalcoalides, but also +2 for disphosphorus tetrahalides. All four symmetrical trihalides are well known: gaseous , the yellowish liquids and , and the solid . These materials are moisture sensitive, hydrolysing to give
phosphorous acid Phosphorous acid (or phosphonic acid) is the Compound (chemistry), compound described by the chemical formula, formula . It is diprotic (readily ionizes two protons), not triprotic as might be suggested by its formula. Phosphorous acid is an in ...
. The trichloride, a common reagent used for the manufacture of pesticides, is produced by chlorination of white phosphorus. The trifluoride is produced from the trichloride by halide exchange. is toxic because it binds to
haemoglobin Hemoglobin (haemoglobin, Hb or Hgb) is a protein containing iron that facilitates the transportation of oxygen in red blood cells. Almost all vertebrates contain hemoglobin, with the sole exception of the fish family Channichthyidae. Hemoglobi ...
. Most phosphorus pentahalides are common compounds. is a colourless gas and the molecules have a trigonal bipyramidal geometry. With fluoride, it forms , an
anion An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conven ...
that is
isoelectronic Isoelectronicity is a phenomenon observed when two or more molecules have the same structure (positions and connectivities among atoms) and the same electronic configurations, but differ by what specific elements are at certain locations in th ...
with . is a colourless solid which has an ionic formulation of , but adopts a trigonal bipyramidal geometry when molten or in the vapour phase. Both the pentafluoride and the pentachloride are
Lewis acid A Lewis acid (named for the American physical chemist Gilbert N. Lewis) is a chemical species that contains an empty orbital which is capable of accepting an electron pair from a Lewis base to form a Lewis adduct. A Lewis base, then, is any ...
s. Meanwhile, is an unstable solid formulated as . is not known. The most important phosphorus oxyhalide is phosphorus oxychloride (), which is approximately tetrahedral. It is prepared from and used in the manufacture of plasticizers. Phosphorus can also form thiohalides such as , and in rare cases selenohalides.


Nitrides

The PN molecule phosphorus mononitride is considered unstable, but is a product of crystalline triphosphorus pentanitride decomposition at . Similarly, is considered unstable, and phosphorus nitride halogens like , , , and oligomerise into cyclic polyphosphazenes. For example, compounds of the formula exist mainly as rings such as the trimer hexachlorophosphazene. The phosphazenes arise by treatment of phosphorus pentachloride with ammonium chloride: : When the chloride groups are replaced by alkoxide (), a family of polymers is produced with potentially useful properties.


Phosphides and phosphine

A wide variety of compounds which contain the containing the phosphide ion exist, both with
main-group element In chemistry and atomic physics, the main group is the group (periodic table), group of chemical element, elements (sometimes called the representative elements) whose lightest members are represented by helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon ...
s and with
metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...
s. They often exhibit complex structures, where phosphorus has the −3 oxidation state. Metal phosphides arise by reaction of metals with red phosphorus. The
alkali metal The alkali metals consist of the chemical elements lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K),The symbols Na and K for sodium and potassium are derived from their Latin names, ''natrium'' and ''kalium''; these are still the origins of the names ...
s (group 1) and
alkaline earth metal The alkaline earth metals are six chemical elements in group (periodic table), group 2 of the periodic table. They are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra).. The elements have very similar p ...
s (group 2) can also form compounds such as . These compounds react with water to form
phosphine Phosphine (IUPAC name: phosphane) is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic compound with the chemical formula , classed as a pnictogen hydride. Pure phosphine is odorless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like rotting ...
. Some phosphide minerals are also known, like and , but they are very rare on Earth, most instances occurring in iron-nickel meteorites. Phosphine () and its organic derivatives are structural analogues of
ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the chemical formula, formula . A Binary compounds of hydrogen, stable binary hydride and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinctive pu ...
(), but the bond angles at phosphorus are closer to 90° for phosphine and its organic derivatives. It is an ill-smelling and toxic gas, produced by hydrolysis of calcium phosphide (). Unlike ammonia, phosphine is oxidised by air. Phosphine is also far less basic than ammonia. Other phosphines are known which contain chains of up to nine phosphorus atoms and have the formula . The highly flammable gas
diphosphine Diphosphane, or diphosphine, is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . This colourless liquid is one of several binary phosphorus hydrides. It is the impurity that typically causes samples of phosphine to ignite in air. Properties, ...
() is an analogue of
hydrazine Hydrazine is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a simple pnictogen hydride, and is a colourless flammable liquid with an ammonia-like odour. Hydrazine is highly hazardous unless handled in solution as, for example, hydraz ...
.


Organophosphorus compounds


Phosphines, phosphites and organophosphates

Compounds with P-C and P-O-C bonds are often classified as organophosphorus compounds. They are widely used commercially. The serves as a source of in routes to organophosphorus(III) compounds. For example, it is the precursor to triphenylphosphine: : Treatment of phosphorus trihalides with alcohols and
phenol Phenol (also known as carbolic acid, phenolic acid, or benzenol) is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a white crystalline solid that is volatile and can catch fire. The molecule consists of a phenyl group () ...
s gives phosphites, e.g. triphenylphosphite: : Similar reactions occur for phosphorus oxychloride, affording triphenylphosphate: : Some organophosphates are used as flame retardants. Among them, tricresyl phosphate and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate are also plasticisers, making these two properties useful in the production of non-flammable plastic products and derivatives. While many organic compounds of phosphorus are required for life, some are highly toxic. A wide range of organophosphorus compounds are used for their toxicity as
pesticide Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all p ...
s and
weapon A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law ...
ised as
nerve agent Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class of organic chemistry, organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase (ACh ...
s. Some notable examples include sarin, VX or Tabun. Fluorophosphate
ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...
s (like sarin) are among the most potent
neurotoxin Neurotoxins are toxins that are destructive to nervous tissue, nerve tissue (causing neurotoxicity). Neurotoxins are an extensive class of exogenous chemical neurological insult (medical), insultsSpencer 2000 that can adversely affect function ...
s known.


Thioesters

Symmetric phosphorus(III) trithioesters (e.g. ) can be produced from the reaction of white phosphorus and the corresponding
disulfide In chemistry, a disulfide (or disulphide in British English) is a compound containing a functional group or the anion. The linkage is also called an SS-bond or sometimes a disulfide bridge and usually derived from two thiol groups. In inorg ...
, or phosphorus(III) halides and thiolates. Unlike the corresponding esters, they do not undergo a variant of the Michaelis-Arbuzov reaction with electrophiles. Instead, they revert to another phosphorus(III) compound through a
sulfonium In organic chemistry, a sulfonium ion, also known as sulphonium ion or sulfanium ion, is a positively-charged ion (a "cation") featuring three organic Substitution (chemistry), substituents attached to sulfur. These organosulfur compounds have t ...
intermediate.


Phosphorus(I) and phosphorus(II)

These compounds generally feature P–P bonds. Examples include catenated derivatives of phosphine and organophosphines. Compounds containing P=P double bonds have also been observed, although they are rare.


Biological role


Cells

Inorganic phosphorus in the form of the phosphate is required for all known forms of
life Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...
. Phosphorus plays a major role in the structural framework of
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
and
RNA Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule that is essential for most biological functions, either by performing the function itself (non-coding RNA) or by forming a template for the production of proteins (messenger RNA). RNA and deoxyrib ...
. Living cells use phosphate to transport cellular energy with
adenosine triphosphate Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a nucleoside triphosphate that provides energy to drive and support many processes in living cell (biology), cells, such as muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and chemical synthesis. Found in all known ...
(ATP), necessary for every cellular process that uses energy. ATP is also important for
phosphorylation In biochemistry, phosphorylation is described as the "transfer of a phosphate group" from a donor to an acceptor. A common phosphorylating agent (phosphate donor) is ATP and a common family of acceptor are alcohols: : This equation can be writ ...
, a key regulatory event in cells. Every living cell is encased in a membrane that separates it from its surroundings. Cellular membranes are composed of a phospholipid matrix and proteins, typically in the form of a bilayer.
Phospholipid Phospholipids are a class of lipids whose molecule has a hydrophilic "head" containing a phosphate group and two hydrophobic "tails" derived from fatty acids, joined by an alcohol residue (usually a glycerol molecule). Marine phospholipids typ ...
s are derived from
glycerol Glycerol () is a simple triol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting, viscous liquid. The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known as glycerides. It is also widely used as a sweetener in the food industry and as a humectant in pha ...
with two of the glycerol hydroxyl (OH) protons replaced by fatty acids as an
ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...
, and the third hydroxyl proton has been replaced with phosphate bonded to another alcohol.


Bone and teeth enamel

The main component of bone is
hydroxyapatite Hydroxyapatite (International Mineralogical Association, IMA name: hydroxylapatite) (Hap, HAp, or HA) is a naturally occurring mineral form of calcium apatite with the Chemical formula, formula , often written to denote that the Crystal struc ...
as well as amorphous forms of calcium phosphate, possibly including carbonate. Hydroxyapatite is the main component of tooth enamel.
Water fluoridation Water fluoridation is the controlled addition of fluoride to Public water supply, public water supplies to reduce tooth decay. Fluoridated water maintains fluoride levels effective for cavity prevention, achieved naturally or through supplem ...
enhances the resistance of teeth to decay by the partial conversion of this mineral to the still harder material
fluorapatite Fluorapatite, often with the alternate spelling of fluoroapatite, is a phosphate mineral with the formula Ca5(PO4)3F (calcium fluorophosphate). Fluorapatite is a hard crystalline solid. Although samples can have various color (green, brown, blu ...
: : An average adult human contains about of phosphorus, about 85–90% in bones and teeth in the form of
apatite Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals, usually hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite and chlorapatite, with high concentrations of Hydroxide, OH−, Fluoride, F− and Chloride, Cl− ion, respectively, in the crystal. The formula of the admixture of ...
, and the remainder in soft tissues and extracellular fluids. The phosphorus content increases from about 0.5% by mass in infancy to 0.65–1.1% by mass in adults. In comparison, average phosphorus concentration in the blood is about 0.4 g/L; about 70% of that is organic and 30% inorganic phosphates.


Nutrition

The main food sources for phosphorus are the same as those containing
protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
, although proteins themselves do not contain phosphorus. For example, milk, meat, and soya typically also have phosphorus. Generally, if a diet includes sufficient protein and calcium, the amount of phosphorus is sufficient. According to the U.S. Institute of Medicine, the estimated average requirement for phosphorus for people ages 19 and up is 580 mg/day. The RDA is 700 mg/day. RDAs are higher than EARs so as to identify amounts that will cover people with higher-than-average requirements. RDA for pregnancy and lactation are also 700 mg/day. For people ages 1–18 years, the RDA increases with age from 460 to 1250 mg/day. As for safety, the IOM sets tolerable upper intake level for phosphorus at 4000 mg/day. Collectively, these values are referred to as the
Dietary Reference Intake The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is a system of nutrition recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) of the National Academies (United States). It was introduced in 1997 in order to broaden the existing guidelines known as Rec ...
. The
European Food Safety Authority The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the agency of the European Union (EU) that provides independent scientific advice and communicates on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain. EFSA was established in February 2002 ...
(EFSA) refers to the collective set of information as Dietary Reference Values, with Population Reference Intake (PRI) instead of RDA, and Average Requirement instead of EAR. AI and UL are defined the same as in the United States. For people ages 15 and older, including pregnancy and
lactation Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young. The process naturally occurs with all sexually mature female mammals, although it may predate mammals. The process ...
, the AI is set at 550 mg/day. For children ages 4–10, the AI is 440 mg/day, and for ages 11–17 it is 640 mg/day. These AIs are lower than the U.S. RDAs. In both systems, teenagers need more than adults. The EFSA reviewed the same safety question and decided that there was not sufficient information to set a UL. Phosphorus deficiency may be caused by
malnutrition Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients which adversely affects the body's tissues a ...
, by failure to absorb phosphate, and by metabolic syndromes that draw phosphate from the blood (such as in refeeding syndrome after malnutrition) or passing too much of it into the urine. All are characterised by
hypophosphatemia Hypophosphatemia is an electrolyte disorder in which there is a low level of phosphate in the blood. Symptoms may include weakness, trouble breathing, and loss of appetite. Complications may include seizures, coma, rhabdomyolysis, or soft ...
, which is a condition of low levels of soluble phosphate levels in the blood serum and inside the cells. Symptoms of hypophosphatemia include neurological dysfunction and disruption of muscle and blood cells due to lack of ATP. Too much phosphate can lead to diarrhoea and calcification (hardening) of organs and soft tissue, and can interfere with the body's ability to use iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc.


Phosphorus cycle

Phosphorus is an essential plant nutrient (the most often limiting nutrient, after nitrogen), and the bulk of all phosphorus production is in concentrated phosphoric acids for
agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
fertiliser A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrition, plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from Liming (soil), liming materials or other non- ...
s, containing as much as 70% to 75% . That led to large increase in phosphate production in the second half of the 20th century. Artificial phosphate fertilisation is necessary because phosphorus is essential to all living organisms; it is involved in energy transfers, strength of root and stems,
photosynthesis Photosynthesis ( ) is a system of biological processes by which photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical energy necessary to fuel their metabo ...
, the expansion of plant roots, formation of seeds and flowers, and other important factors effecting overall plant health and genetics. Heavy use of phosphorus fertilisers and their runoff have resulted in
eutrophication Eutrophication is a general term describing a process in which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in an increased growth of organisms that may deplete the oxygen in the water; ie. the process of too many plants growing on the s ...
(overenrichment) of
aquatic ecosystem An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem found in and around a body of water, in contrast to land-based terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems contain communities of organisms—aquatic life—that are dependent on each other and on their environ ...
s. Natural phosphorus-bearing compounds are mostly inaccessible to plants because of the low solubility and mobility in soil. Most phosphorus is very stable in the soil minerals or organic matter of the soil. Even when phosphorus is added in manure or fertiliser it can become fixed in the soil. Therefore, the natural
phosphorus cycle The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that involves the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Unlike many other biogeochemical cycles, the atmosphere does not play a significant role in the moveme ...
is very slow. Some of the fixed phosphorus is released again over time, sustaining wild plant growth, however, more is needed to sustain intensive cultivation of crops. Fertiliser is often in the form of superphosphate of lime, a mixture of calcium dihydrogen phosphate (), and calcium sulfate dihydrate () produced reacting sulfuric acid and water with calcium phosphate. Processing phosphate minerals with sulfuric acid for obtaining fertiliser is so important to the global economy that this is the primary industrial market for
sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen, ...
and the greatest industrial use of elemental
sulfur Sulfur ( American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphur ( Commonwealth spelling) is a chemical element; it has symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms ...
.


Production


Mining

Means of commercial phosphorus production besides mining are few because the
phosphorus cycle The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that involves the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Unlike many other biogeochemical cycles, the atmosphere does not play a significant role in the moveme ...
does not include significant gas-phase transport. The predominant source of phosphorus in modern times is phosphate rock (as opposed to the guano that preceded it). US production of phosphate rock peaked in 1980 at 54.4 million metric tons. The United States was the world's largest producer of phosphate rock from at least 1900, up until 2006, when US production was exceeded by that of
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. In 2019, the US produced 10 percent of the world's phosphate rock.


Processing

Most phosphorus-bearing material is for agriculture fertilisers. In this case where the standards of purity are modest, phosphorus is obtained from phosphate rock by what is called the "wet process." The minerals are treated with sulfuric acid to give
phosphoric acid Phosphoric acid (orthophosphoric acid, monophosphoric acid or phosphoric(V) acid) is a colorless, odorless phosphorus-containing solid, and inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is commonly encountered as an 85% aqueous solution, ...
. Phosphoric acid is then neutralised to give various phosphate salts, which comprise fertilisers. In the wet process, phosphorus does not undergo redox. About five tons of phosphogypsum waste are generated per ton of phosphoric acid production. Annually, the estimated generation of phosphogypsum worldwide is 100 to 280 Mt. For the use of phosphorus in drugs, detergents, and foodstuff, the standards of purity are high, which led to the development of the thermal process. In this process, phosphate minerals are converted to white phosphorus, which can be purified by distillation. The white phosphorus is then oxidised to phosphoric acid and subsequently neutralised with a base to give phosphate salts. The thermal process is conducted in a submerged-arc furnace which is energy intensive. Presently, about of elemental phosphorus is produced annually. Calcium phosphate (as phosphate rock), mostly mined in Florida and North Africa, can be heated to 1,200–1,500 °C with sand, which is mostly , and coke to produce . The product, being volatile, is readily isolated: : : Side products from the thermal process include ferrophosphorus, a crude form of , resulting from iron impurities in the mineral precursors. The silicate
slag The general term slag may be a by-product or co-product of smelting (pyrometallurgical) ores and recycled metals depending on the type of material being produced. Slag is mainly a mixture of metal oxides and silicon dioxide. Broadly, it can be c ...
is a useful construction material. The fluoride is sometimes recovered for use in
water fluoridation Water fluoridation is the controlled addition of fluoride to Public water supply, public water supplies to reduce tooth decay. Fluoridated water maintains fluoride levels effective for cavity prevention, achieved naturally or through supplem ...
. More problematic is a "mud" containing significant amounts of white phosphorus. Production of white phosphorus is conducted in large facilities in part because it is energy intensive. The white phosphorus is transported in molten form. Some major accidents have occurred during transportation.


Reserves

Phosphorus comprises about 0.1% by mass of the
Earth's crust Earth's crust is its thick outer shell of rock, referring to less than one percent of the planet's radius and volume. It is the top component of the lithosphere, a solidified division of Earth's layers that includes the crust and the upper ...
. However, only concentrated forms collectively referred to as phosphate rock or phosphorite are exploitable, and are not evenly distributed across the Earth. Unprocessed phosphate rock has a concentration of 1.7–8.7% phosphorus by mass (4–20% phosphorus pentoxide). The world's total commercial phosphate reserves and resources are estimated in amounts of phosphate rock, which in practice includes over 300 ores of different origin, composition, and phosphate content. "Reserves" refers to the amount assumed recoverable at current market prices and "resources" refers to estimated amounts of such a grade or quality that they have reasonable prospects for economic extraction. Mining is currently the only cost-effective method for the production of phosphorus. Hence, a shortage in rock phosphate or significant price increases might negatively affect the world's
food security Food security is the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, healthy Human food, food. The availability of food for people of any class, gender, ethnicity, or religion is another element of food protection. Simila ...
. The countries estimated to have the biggest phosphate rock commercial reserves (in billion metric tons) are
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
(50),
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
(3.2),
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
(2.8),
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
(2.2),
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
(1.8),
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
(1.6),
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
(1.4),
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
(1.4),
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
(1.1),
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
(1.0), and
Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
(1.0). Estimates for future production vary significantly depending on modelling and assumptions on extractable volumes, but it is inescapable that future production of phosphate rock will be heavily influenced by Morocco in the foreseeable future. According to some researchers, Earth's commercial and affordable phosphorus reserves are expected to be depleted in 50–100 years. In 2023, the
United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...
(USGS) estimated that economically extractable phosphate rock reserves worldwide are 72 billion tons, while world mining production in 2022 was 220 million tons. Assuming zero growth, the reserves would thus last for around 300 years. This broadly confirms a 2010 International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) report that global reserves would last for several hundred years. Phosphorus reserve figures are intensely debated. Gilbert suggest that there has been little external verification of the estimate. A 2014 review concluded that the IFDC report "presents an inflated picture of global reserves, in particular those of Morocco, where largely hypothetical and inferred resources have simply been relabeled “reserves".


Conservation and recycling

Reducing agricultural runoff and soil erosion can slow the frequency with which farmers have to reapply phosphorus to their fields. Agricultural methods such as no-till farming, terracing, contour tilling, and the use of
windbreak A windbreak (shelterbelt) is a planting usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion. They are commonly planted in hedgerows around the ed ...
s have been shown to reduce the rate of phosphorus depletion from farmland, though do not completely remove the need for periodic fertiliser application. Strips of grassland or forest between arable land and rivers can also greatly reduce losses of phosphate and other nutrients.
Sewage treatment Sewage treatment is a type of wastewater treatment which aims to remove contaminants from sewage to produce an effluent that is suitable to discharge to the surrounding environment or an intended reuse application, thereby preventing water p ...
plants that have a dedicated phosphorus removal step produce phosphate-rich
sewage sludge Sewage sludge is the residual, semi-solid material that is produced as a by-product during sewage treatment of industrial or municipal wastewater. The term "septage" also refers to sludge from simple wastewater treatment but is connected to si ...
that can then be treated to extract phosphorus from it. This is done by incinerating the sludge and recovering the resulting ash. Another approach lies into the recovery of phosphorus-rich materials such as struvite from waste processing plants, which is done by adding magnesium to the waste. However, the technologies currently in use are not yet cost-effective, given the current price of phosphorus on the world market.


Applications


Matches

Safety matches are very difficult to ignite on any surface other than a special striker strip. The strip contains non-toxic red phosphorus and the match head potassium chlorate, an oxygen-releasing compound. When struck, small amounts of abrasion from match head and striker strip are mixed intimately to make a small quantity of Armstrong's mixture, a very touch sensitive composition. The fine powder ignites immediately and provides the initial spark to set off the match head. Safety matches separate the two components of the ignition mixture until the match is struck. This is the key safety advantage as it prevents accidental ignition.


Military

Though military uses of white phosphorus are constrained by modern international law, white phosphorus munitions are still used for military applications, such as incendiary bombs,
smoke screen A smoke screen is smoke released to mask the movement or location of military units such as infantry, tanks, aircraft, or ships. Smoke screens are commonly deployed either by a canister (such as a grenade) or generated by a vehicle (such as ...
s, smoke bombs, and tracer ammunition.


Drug production

Elemental phosphorus can reduce elemental
iodine Iodine is a chemical element; it has symbol I and atomic number 53. The heaviest of the stable halogens, it exists at standard conditions as a semi-lustrous, non-metallic solid that melts to form a deep violet liquid at , and boils to a vi ...
to hydroiodic acid, which is a reagent effective for reducing
ephedrine Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant and sympathomimetic agent that is often used to prevent hypotension, low blood pressure during anesthesia. It has also been used for asthma, narcolepsy, and obesity but is not the preferred ...
or pseudoephedrine to
methamphetamine Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug use, recreational or Performance-enhancing substance, performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a secon ...
. For this reason, red and white phosphorus are listed in the United States as List I precursor chemicals by the
Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit Illegal drug trade, drug trafficking a ...
, and their handling is subject to stringent regulatory controls.


Metallurgical aspects

Phosphorus is also an important component in
steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...
production, in the making of
phosphor bronze A phosphor is a substance that exhibits the optical phenomenon, phenomenon of luminescence; it emits light when exposed to some type of radiant energy. The term is used both for fluorescence, fluorescent or phosphorescence, phosphorescent sub ...
, and in many other related products. Phosphorus is added to metallic copper during its smelting process to react with oxygen present as an impurity in copper and to produce phosphorus-containing copper ( CuOFP) alloys with a higher hydrogen embrittlement resistance than normal copper. Phosphate conversion coating is a chemical treatment applied to steel parts to improve their corrosion resistance.


Semiconductors

Phosphorus is a
dopant A dopant (also called a doping agent) is a small amount of a substance added to a material to alter its physical properties, such as electrical or optics, optical properties. The amount of dopant is typically very low compared to the material b ...
in N-type semiconductors used in high-power electronics and semiconductor detectors. In this context, phosphorus is not present at the start of the process, but rather created directly out of silicon during the manufacture of the devices. This is done by neutron transmutation doping, a method based on the conversion of the into by
neutron capture Neutron capture is a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus and one or more neutrons collide and merge to form a heavier nucleus. Since neutrons have no electric charge, they can enter a nucleus more easily than positively charged protons, wh ...
and
beta decay In nuclear physics, beta decay (β-decay) is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits a beta particle (fast energetic electron or positron), transforming into an isobar of that nuclide. For example, beta decay of a neutron ...
as follows: ^\mathrm \, (n,\gamma) \, ^\mathrm \rightarrow \, ^\mathrm + \beta^- \; (T_ = 2.62 \mathrm) In practice, the silicon is typically placed near or inside a
nuclear reactor A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a Nuclear fission, fission nuclear chain reaction. They are used for Nuclear power, commercial electricity, nuclear marine propulsion, marine propulsion, Weapons-grade plutonium, weapons ...
generating neutrons. As neutrons pass through the silicon, phosphorus atoms are produced by transmutation. This doping method is far less common than diffusion or ion implantation, but it has the advantage of creating an extremely uniform dopant distribution.


Hazards


External contact

Elemental phosphorus poses by far the greatest danger in its white form, red phosphorus being relatively nontoxic. In the past, external exposure to white phosphorus was treated by washing the affected area with 2% copper(II) sulfate solution to form harmless compounds that are then washed away. According to 2009
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
guidelines: Instead, the manual suggests:


Ingestion

Because of its common use as a
rodenticide Rodenticides are chemicals made and sold for the purpose of killing rodents. While commonly referred to as "rat poison", rodenticides are also used to kill mice, woodchucks, chipmunks, porcupines, nutria, beavers, and voles. Some rodenticides ...
, there are documented medical reports of white phosphorus ingestion and its effects, especially on children. These cases can present very characteristic symptoms, such as garlic-smelling, smoking and luminescent vomit and stool, the latter sometimes called "Smoking Stool Syndrome". It is absorbed by both the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory mucosa, to whose it causes serious damage. The acute lethal dose has been estimated at around 1 mg/kg, this very small amount leading to many cases proving fatal, either because of rapid cardiovascular arrest or through the following systemic toxicity.


Passive exposure

Chronic poisoning can lead to necrosis of the jaw. In the United States, exposure to 0.1 mg/m3 of white phosphorus over an 8-hour workday is set as the permissible exposure limit by the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA; ) is a regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. The United States Congress established ...
and as the recommended exposure limit by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. From 5 mg/m3, it is considered immediately dangerous to life or health.


References

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Phosphorus recovery from wastewater – state-of-the-art and future potential
Conference presentation at Nutrient Recovery and Management Conference organised by International Water Association (IWA) and Water Environment Federation (WEF) in Florida, USA
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''
Der Spiegel (, , stylized in all caps) is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of about 724,000 copies in 2022, it is one of the largest such publications in Europe. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...
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Phosphate Rock
2021.
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