Phosphorus is a chemical element with symbol P and atomic number 15. Phosphorus is essential for life (compounds containing the phosphate ion) are a component of DNA, RNA, ATP, and phospholipids. Elemental phosphorus exists in many allotropic forms, three major allotropes are white, red and black. Red phosphorus is a component of matchbook strike plates and is used as an ingredient in certain commercial rat and cockroach poisons. Red phosphorus is used in the manufacture of pyrotechnics, safety matches, semiconductors, fertilizers, pesticides, incendiary shells, smoke bombs, and tracer bullets. It is also used in organic synthesis reactions and in the manufacture of phosphoric acid, phosphine, phosphoric anhydride, phosphorus pentachloride, and phosphorus trichloride. Red phosphorus is also used in electroluminescent coatings and in flame retardants for polymers.

Direct reduced iron is an alternative iron source produced by heating an iron ore. In nature, most of the iron has an oxidized form.

Antimony (Sb) is a toxic metalloid that occurs widely at trace concentrations in soil, aquatic systems, and the atmosphere. Antimony is not an abundant element but is found in small quantities in over 100 mineral species. It is most often found as antimony(III) sulfide. Antimony is used in the electronics industry to make some semiconductor devices, such as infrared detectors and diodes. It is alloyed with lead or other metals to improve their hardness and strength. A lead-antimony alloy is used in batteries. Other uses of antimony alloys include type metal (in printing presses), bullets and cable sheathing. Antimony has been in medical use against microbes and parasites as well. Antimony-based drugs have been prescribed against leishmaniasis since the parasitic transmission of the tropical disease was understood in the beginning of the 20th century. As a therapeutic, antimony has been mostly used for the treatment of leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis. The major toxic side-effects of antimonials as a result of therapy are cardiotoxicity (~9% of patients) and pancreatitis, which is seen commonly in HIV and visceral leishmaniasis co-infections.

Lead(II) acetate is a white crystalline chemical compound with a sweetish taste. Lead(II) acetate is used as a mordant in textile printing and dyeing, as a drier in paints and varnishes, and in preparing other lead compounds. It was historically used as a sweetener and for cosmetics.

Mercury, with the chemical symbol Hg (from Greek "Hydrargyros"), is the only metal adopting liquid form in room temperature. Mercury appears in seven natural isotopic forms. The metal is extracted from the mineral cinnabar, mercuric sulfide, in former times used also for paint. Mercury has fascinated people for millennia, as a heavy liquid metal. However, because of its toxicity, many uses of mercury are being phased out or are under review. It is now mainly used in the chemical industry as catalysts. It is also used in some electrical switches and rectifiers. Previously its major use was in the manufacture of sodium hydroxide and chlorine by electrolysis of brine. These plants will all be phased out by 2020. Elemental mercury is used in thermometers, blood pressure devices, and thermostats because its ability to expand and contract uniformly makes it useful for measuring changes in temperature and pressure. Mercury is also used in dental fillings, paints, soaps, batteries, and fluorescent lighting. Mercury will dissolve numerous metals to form amalgams and is used to extract gold dust from rocks by dissolving the gold and then boiling off the mercury. The amalgam used in dental fillings contains tin and silver alloyed with mercury. Because it works as a biocide, mercury has been used as a fungicide in paint, though this kind of paint is no longer sold. Mercury and its compounds used in dental practice may be responsible for release of mercury into the oral cavity. Compounds of mercury tend to be much more toxic than the element itself, and organic compounds of mercury (e.g., dimethyl-mercury) are often extremely toxic and may be responsible in causing brain and liver damage. Human exposure to mercury has increased through anthropogenic mercury emissions from fuel combustion, municipal incinerators, and chemical industries. Mercury is considered a major environmental toxicant throughout the world. Mercury is harmless in insoluble form, but vapor or soluble forms such as inorganic mercury or methylmercury can be extremely toxic to humans. Most human mercury exposure occurs through inhalation of elemental mercury vapor released from dental amalgam and through the consumption of fish contaminated with methylmercury.

Aluminum is an element with an atomic number of 13. On the periodic table of elements its symbol is Al. It belongs to a group of metals including lead and tin. Aluminum has been used for a long time. During Ancient Egypt, aluminum oxides were used in their glazes and pottery. The Romans also used this metallic element. During the 1800s, advances in research made it possible to produce pure aluminum. Aluminium is used in a huge variety of products including cans, foils, kitchen utensils, window frames, beer kegs and aeroplane parts. This is because of its particular properties. It has low density, is non-toxic, has a high thermal conductivity, has excellent corrosion resistance and can be easily cast, machined and formed. It is also non-magnetic and non-sparking. It is the second most malleable metal and the sixth most ductile. It is often used as an alloy because aluminium itself is not particularly strong. Alloys with copper, manganese, magnesium and silicon are lightweight but strong. They are very important in the construction of aeroplanes and other forms of transport. Aluminium is a good electrical conductor and is often used in electrical transmission lines. It is cheaper than copper and weight for weight is almost twice as good a conductor. When evaporated in a vacuum, aluminium forms a highly reflective coating for both light and heat. It does not deteriorate, like a silver coating would. These aluminium coatings have many uses, including telescope mirrors, decorative paper, packages and toys. Aluminium has no known biological role. Aluminium can accumulate in the body, and a link with Alzheimer’s disease has been suggested but not proven. Aluminum-containing raw materials are used safely and extensively in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter (OTC) drug products. In cosmetics, they function as pigments and thickening agents. Aluminum compounds also function as active ingredients in OTC drugs such as antacids and antiperspirants. Aluminum-containing ingredients have several uses in cosmetics and personal care products. Aluminum salts are used as antiperspirants to control sweat. Antiperspirant ingredients are regulated as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A manufacturer can only use the aluminum active ingredients that have been approved as safe and effective by the FDA as listed in the OTC antiperspirant monograph. These products can only be used according to the guidelines established in this monograph. Aluminum may also be present in cosmetic colors. Aluminum powder is FDA approved and may be safely used in coloring externally applied cosmetics, including cosmetics intended for use in the area of the eye, [21 CFR §73.2645 Aluminum powder.]. In addition, aluminum is a common component in other cosmetic colors where it may be used as a substrate upon which another color is precipitated. Because the resulting color is not water-soluble, this can prevent ‘bleeding’, for example with lipstick. There are other uses of aluminum-containing ingredients in cosmetics, such as use as thickening agents. Under federal law, the safety of all ingredients must be substantiated by the manufacturer of the product before it is placed on the market. Aluminum compounds (alum) are the most widely used adjuvants in veterinary and human vaccines. Alum facilitates effectiveand long-lasting protective immunity in hosts, mainly by inducing antibody responses. Alum was found toinduce endogenous CD4+T cells and antibody production as well as to induce priming of CD8+T cells. These effects are shown to beindependent of the inflammasome. Novel findings of unexpected beneficial effects of decreased HBV (Hepatitis B virus) viral load and HBeAg seroconversion in chronically infected patients, as well as significant tumor suppression in experimental mice following multiple alum-only injections were examined, revealing alum's potential clinical applications beyond its use as a simple tool in antigen preparation.

CHLORINE is a yellow-green gas at room temperature with a pungent suffocating odor. It is a very reactive and strongly oxidizing chemical element that belongs to the group of halogens with the atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is commonly used in sanitation, disinfection, and antiseptic processes.