White Phosphorus: A Chemical Weapon or an Incendiary Weapon?
Image source: Pexels.com
Hello, everyone! Welcome to my blog, where I share my thoughts and opinions on various topics related to science, technology, and society. Today, I want to talk about a controversial substance that has been used in many conflicts around the world: white phosphorus.
What is white phosphorus?
White phosphorus is a chemical waxy solid substance that typically appears yellowish or colorless, and has a garlic-like odor. It ignites instantly upon contact with oxygen, and burns fiercely at very high temperatures. It is often used by militaries to illuminate battlefields, generate a smokescreen, and as an incendiary weapon.
What are the effects of white phosphorus?
White phosphorus can have both incendiary and chemical effects, depending on how it is used and what it comes into contact with.
Incendiary effects
As an incendiary weapon, white phosphorus can cause deep and severe burns, penetrating even through bone, and has been known to reignite after initial treatment. White phosphorus is highly soluble in lipids; therefore, it can penetrate underlying tissues resulting in deep burns that are slow to heal. White phosphorus particles that have penetrated the skin, for example on shrapnel, may start to burn when the wound is opened and exposed to air. White smoke from burning phosphorus may be seen emanating from wounds.
Chemical effects
As a chemical weapon, white phosphorus can also cause systemic toxicity, particularly affecting the heart, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. White phosphorus is harmful by all routes of exposure. It can be absorbed in toxic amounts following ingestion or dermal exposure. The smoke from burning phosphorus is harmful to the eyes and respiratory tract as phosphorus oxides dissolve in moisture to form phosphoric acids.
How is white phosphorus regulated?
The use of white phosphorus as a weapon is subject to different legal frameworks, depending on the context and the intention of its use.
Protocol on Incendiary Weapons
According to the Protocol on Incendiary Weapons, which is a part of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, the use of incendiary weapons against civilians or civilian objects is prohibited, as well as the use of air-delivered incendiary weapons against military targets located within concentrations of civilians. However, the protocol does not apply to munitions that may have incidental or secondary incendiary effects, such as illuminants, tracers, smoke, or signaling systems.
Chemical Weapons Convention
According to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons, white phosphorus is not considered a chemical weapon if it is used for purposes not prohibited by the convention, such as smoke generation or illumination. However, if white phosphorus is used as a method of warfare to cause harm or death through its toxic properties, then it would be considered a chemical weapon.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post and learned something new about white phosphorus and its classification as a weapon. please feel free to leave them below. I would love to hear your feedback and opinions on this topic. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more posts from me!
0