Uptake and loss of white phosphorus in american kestrels

Abstract

American kestrels (Falco sparverius) exposed to a diet containing white phosphorus (P4) had detectable quantities of P4 only in their fatty tissues. As early as 24 h postdosing, P4 was found in the fat depots and skin but not in other tissues such as the brain, heart, intestine, liver, kidney, and muscle. After 7 d of continuous exposure to P4‐containing diet (6.4 μg P4 per gram of diet), the skin but not fat depots showed significant accumulation of P4. When P4‐containing diet (6.4 μg P4 per gram of diet) was fed for 2 d followed by 3 d of feeding a diet containing less P4 (0.7 μg P4 per gram of diet), P4 was not detectable in the tissues. Upon refeeding with the higher dietary concentration of P4, P4 was again detectable in skin and fat. This cyclic dosing regimen indicates that tissue levels are sensitive to dietary levels of P4.

Persistence of white phosphorus (P4) particles in salt marsh sediments

“…Reaction is slow unless the partial pressures of oxygen and P 4 vapor are within certain limits. Because the lower limit is inversely proportional to the pressure of P 4 , vapor pressure at 15ЊC may be below the critical pressure for fast reaction. The critical pressure is difficult to predict because it also depends on the diameter of the reaction vessel, in this case the pore diameter.…”

“…The sediment was transferred to a 120-ml glass jar equipped with a Teflon-lined cap and the P 4 extracted with isooctane and analyzed by GC [10]. Fifteen additional samples were prepared, three replicates at each moisture content, and extracted immediately to establish the day 0 mass of P 4 .…”

“…To determine the effect of sediment temperature and moisture content on the persistence of P 4 particles in ERF sediments, P 4 particles of known diameter (approximately 2 mm) were placed at a depth of 3 cm in wet ERF sediment and the sediment was incubated in an environmental chamber at a constant temperature. The temperatures (4, 15, 20ЊC) were selected to reflect sediment temperatures previously measured in ERF.…”

“…Recent surveys at other Army training areas have also revealed white phosphorus contamination [3]. Sediment contaminated with residues of white phosphorus presents a high ecological risk to certain organisms, particularly dabbling ducks [1,2] and their predators [4,5].…”

Toxicology of white phosphorus (P4) to ducks and risk for their predators: Effects of particle size

“…P 4 was found in the fat of one bald eagle found dead at ERF and in one herring gull egg collected at ERF [18]. Laboratory studies confirm that predatory birds absorb P 4 when fed a contaminated diet [19]. Deposition of P 4 into avian eggs readily occurs when the hen ingests P 4 [20].…”