Phosgene is a widely used chemical that is manufactured for use in the production of various chemicals and to manufacture dyes, insecticides, pharmaceuticals and in metallurgy. In the past it was used as a chemical warfare agent. Phosphate is the ion used in the compound phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid is a colorless, odorless thick liquid. It is used in rust-proofing and in making metal products, fertilizer and livestock feeds.
Phosphoric acid is a corrosive chemical and contact can severely burn the eyes and skin.
Exposure to the vapor can irritate the nose, throat and lungs. Although phosphate is very immobile in soil, it can be washed into streams and lakes where it can cause algae blooms, and deplete oxygen levels. Phosphate fertilizers have also been implicated in reef declines. The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Content Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade was opened for signature in 1998. It will come into force when 50 countries provide final ratification.