Alternatives for Brominated Flame Retardants - Miljøstyrelsen

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Phosphorus exists in many allotropic forms (same molecular structure, different crystal lattice structure).
Most data on phosphorus are on the white and yellow forms. Red phosphorus is prepared by heating white
phosphorus to 270-300 °C in the absence of air. The red form of phosphorus is much less reactive than the
white and presumably also the yellow form.
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Red phosphorus is often contaminated with white and yellow phosphorus. Therefore information of the two
other allotropic forms included. Red phosphorus is not absorbed very well.
Lethal dose in mammals 1.4 - 4.8 mg/kg bw (allotropic form not specified). Pure red phosphorus is apparently
less harmful than the two other allotropic forms. Inhalation of 4.3 mg/l red phosphorus (1h) or 1.5
mg/l (4 h) killed 9 respectively 2 of 10 rats.
The substance is classified as highly flammable and may explode when exposed to heat or by chemical reaction
with oxidisers. Red phosphorus can also react with reducing materials and represent a moderate explosion
hazard by chemical reaction or on contact with organic materials. It reacts with oxygen and water
vapour to produce the toxic phosphine. The abiotic degradation of yellow phosphorus proceeds at ambient
temperature.
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No ecotoxicological data on red phosphorus were located.
Yellow phosphorus is very toxic to crustaceans and fish in standard tests (L(E)C50 down to 0.011 mg/l and
0.018 mg/l, respectively)