ABS-CBN News January 14, 2011
Mysterious rock similar to white phosphorus used for warfare
MANILA, Philippines – The mysterious rock from Oriental Mindoro that bore a hole through a boy's pocket and burned his skin may be a variety of a man-made substance commonly used in warfare, or household products.
The colorless, waxy, white rock, was earlier reported to have "burned" an Oriental Mindoro resident's left thigh. It is believed to have severely wounded Christian San Andres when he was 9, and is made of white phosphorus (WP).
According to the United States' Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), WP is a man-made substance commonly used in chemical and incendiary and smoke munitions. It is also used in making fertilizer, rat poison and matches.
Its phosphorus content, an element that has high reactivity to oxygen, causes the rock to ignite when exposed to air. When set ablaze, WP is said to be almost inextinguishable, the ATSDR said.
Dangerous to your health
San Andres, 25, recalls he had scooped the innocuous rock out of a pond when he was young. Placing it in his pocket, he didn't expect the exposed rock to smolder the flesh of his thigh.
In ATSDR's report, WP burns, such as the tragic news involving San Andres, appear to be common.
It is proven that the WP can actually produce second and third degree burns because of its tendency to stick to the skin. Its produced smoke can also irritate the eyes and the respiratory tract. In heavy concentration, the smoke can also lead to burns.
When orally ingested, WP can damage the internal organs including the liver, heart or kidney, the report said.
Deadly weapon
The rock found by San Andres appear similar to WPs used in World War II, when the material was employed in abundance because it burned easily. Because of this, WP has been used as a weapon in intercontinental wars through the years.
According to GlobalSecurity.org, the US Army also used WP in World War II and then in Vietnam War, to create flame throwers and fire bombs.
It has also been used in modern conflicts including the US-Iraq war in 2004, Gaza War from 2008 to 2009, and the Israeli-Palestinian war in 2010. – With reports from Kim Atienza, ABS-CBN News and Barry Viloria, abs-cbnNEWS.com
© Copyright 2011, ABS-CBN Interactive
