White Phosphorus Exposure Workup

Updated: Jan 06, 2022
  • Author: Lisandro Irizarry, MD, MBA, MPH, FACEP; Chief Editor: Zygmunt F Dembek, PhD, MS, MPH, LHD  more...
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Workup

Laboratory Studies

There is no biomarker that can be used to identify acute poisoning from white phosphorus. However, a basic trauma panel that includes the following should be obtained:

  • Complete blood cell count (CBC)

  • Basic metabolic panel

  • Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), or both

  • Blood type and crossmatch

In addition, the following should be obtained:

  • Serum calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium levels
  • Urine phosphate levels

Successful chemical identification of phosphorus on the remains of burned clothes using gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) after headspace adsorption using solid phase microextraction (SPME) has been reported. [12]