Phosphine (

IUPAC The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC ) is an international federation of National Adhering Organizations working for the advancement of the chemical sciences, especially by developing nomenclature and terminology. It is ...

name: phosphane) is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic compound with the

chemical formula In chemistry, a chemical formula is a way of presenting information about the chemical proportions of atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound or molecule, using chemical element symbols, numbers, and sometimes also other symbols, ...

, classed as a

pnictogen hydride Pnictogen hydrides or hydrogen pnictides are binary compounds of hydrogen with pnictogen ( or ; from grc, πνῑ́γω "to choke" and -gen, "generator") atoms (elements of group 15: nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth) cova ...

. Pure phosphine is odorless, but technical grade samples have a highly

unpleasant odor An odor (American English) or odour (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds that are generally found in low concentrations that humans and animals can perceive via their sense ...

like rotting fish, due to the presence of

substituted A substitution reaction (also known as single displacement reaction or single substitution reaction) is a chemical reaction during which one functional group in a chemical compound is replaced by another functional group. Substitution reactions ar ...

phosphine and

diphosphane Diphosphane, or diphosphine, is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula P2H4. This colourless liquid is one of several binary phosphorus hydrides. It is the impurity that typically causes samples of phosphine to ignite in air. Propert ...

(). With traces of present, is spontaneously flammable in air (

pyrophoric A substance is pyrophoric (from grc-gre, πυροφόρος, , 'fire-bearing') if it ignites spontaneously in air at or below (for gases) or within 5 minutes after coming into contact with air (for liquids and solids). Examples are organolith ...

), burning with a luminous flame. Phosphine is a highly toxic respiratory poison, and is immediately dangerous to life or health at 50 ppm. Phosphine has a

trigonal pyramidal In chemistry, a trigonal pyramid is a molecular geometry with one atom at the apex and three atoms at the corners of a trigonal base, resembling a tetrahedron (not to be confused with the tetrahedral geometry). When all three atoms at the corne ...

structure. Phosphines are compounds that include and the

organophosphine Organophosphines are organophosphorus compounds with the formula PR''n''H3−''n'', where R is an organic substituent. These compounds can be classified according to the value of ''n'': primary phosphines (''n'' = 1), secondary phosphines ...

s, which are derived from by substituting one or more hydrogen atoms with organic groups. They have the general formula . Phosphanes are saturated phosphorus hydrides of the form , such as triphosphane. Phosphine, PH₃, is the smallest of the phosphines and the smallest of the phosphanes.

History

Philippe Gengembre (1764–1838), a student of

Lavoisier Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier ( , ; ; 26 August 17438 May 1794),
CNRS ( white phosphorus in an aqueous solution of

potash Potash () includes various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water- soluble form.

(potassium carbonate).For further information about the early history of phosphine, see: * ''The Encyclopædia Britannica'' (1911 edition), vol. 21, p. 480:
Phosphorus: Phosphine.
* Thomas Thomson, ''A System of Chemistry'', 6th ed. (London, England: Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, 1820), vol. 1
p. 272.
Perhaps because of its strong association with elemental

phosphorus Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and atomic number 15. Elemental phosphorus exists in two major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, but because it is highly reactive, phosphorus is never found as a free element on Ea ...

, phosphine was once regarded as a gaseous form of the element, but Lavoisier (1789) recognised it as a combination of phosphorus with hydrogen and described it as ''phosphure d'hydrogène'' (phosphide of hydrogen).Note: *
On p. 222
of his ''Traité élémentaire de chimie'', vol. 1, (Paris, France: Cuchet, 1789), Lavoisier calls the compound of phosphorus and hydrogen ''"phosphure d'hydrogène"'' (hydrogen phosphide). However
on p. 216
, he calls the compound of hydrogen and phosphorus ''"Combinaison inconnue."'' (unknown combination), yet in a footnote, he says about the reactions of hydrogen with sulfur and with phosphorus: ''"Ces combinaisons ont lieu dans l'état de gaz & il en résulte du gaz hydrogène sulfurisé & phosphorisé."'' (These combinations occur in the gaseous state, and there results from them sulfurized and phosphorized hydrogen gas.) * In Robert Kerr's 1790 English translation of Lavoisier's ''Traité élémentaire de chimie'' ... — namely, Lavoisier with Robert Kerr, trans., ''Elements of Chemistry'' ... (Edinburgh, Scotland: William Creech, 1790) — Kerr translates Lavoisier's ''"phosphure d'hydrogène"'' as "phosphuret of hydrogen"
p. 204
, and whereas Lavoisier — on p. 216 of his ''Traité élémentaire de chimie'' ... — gave no name to the combination of hydrogen and phosphorus, Kerr calls it "hydruret of phosphorus, or phosphuret of hydrogen"
p. 198
. Lavoisier's note about this compound — ''"Combinaison inconnue."'' — is translated: "Hitherto unknown." Lavoisier's footnote is translated as: "These combinations take place in the state of gas, and form, respectively, sulphurated and phosphorated oxygen gas." The word "oxygen" in the translation is an error because the original text clearly reads ''"hydrogène"'' (hydrogen). (The error was corrected in subsequent editions.) In 1844, Paul Thénard, son of the French chemist Louis Jacques Thénard, used a

cold trap In vacuum applications, a cold trap is a device that condenses all vapors except the permanent gases into a liquid or solid. The most common objective is to prevent vapors being evacuated from an experiment from entering a vacuum pump where they ...

to separate diphosphine from phosphine that had been generated from

calcium phosphide Calcium phosphide (CP) is the inorganic compound with the formula Ca3P2. It is one of several phosphides of calcium, being described as the salt-like material composed of Ca2+ and P3−. Other, more exotic calcium phosphides have the formula CaP, ...

, thereby demonstrating that is responsible for spontaneous flammability associated with , and also for the characteristic orange/brown color that can form on surfaces, which is a polymerisation product. He considered diphosphine's formula to be , and thus an intermediate between elemental phosphorus, the higher polymers, and phosphine.

Calcium phosphide Calcium phosphide (CP) is the inorganic compound with the formula Ca3P2. It is one of several phosphides of calcium, being described as the salt-like material composed of Ca2+ and P3−. Other, more exotic calcium phosphides have the formula CaP, ...

(nominally ) produces more than other phosphides because of the preponderance of P-P bonds in the starting material. The name "phosphine" was first used for organophosphorus compounds in 1857, being analogous to organic

amine In chemistry, amines (, ) are compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair. Amines are formally derivatives of ammonia (), wherein one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by a substituent ...

s ().In 1857,

August Wilhelm von Hofmann August Wilhelm von Hofmann (8 April 18185 May 1892) was a German chemist who made considerable contributions to organic chemistry. His research on aniline helped lay the basis of the aniline-dye industry, and his research on coal tar laid the g ...

announced the synthesis of organic compounds containing phosphorus, which he named " trimethylphosphine" and "

triethylphosphine Triethylphosphine is the organophosphorus compound with the formula P(CH2CH3)3, commonly abbreviated as PEt3. It is a colorless liquid with an unpleasant odor characteristic of alkylphosphines. The compound is a common ligand in organometallic c ...

", in analogy with "amine" (organo-nitrogen compounds), "arsine" (organo-arsenic compounds), and "stibine" (organo-antimony compounds). The gas was named "phosphine" by 1865 (or earlier).

Structure and properties

is a

trigonal pyramid In geometry, a pyramid () is a polyhedron formed by connecting a polygonal base and a point, called the apex. Each base edge and apex form a triangle, called a ''lateral face''. It is a conic solid with polygonal base. A pyramid with an base ...

al molecule with ''C''_3''v''

molecular symmetry Molecular symmetry in chemistry describes the symmetry present in molecules and the classification of these molecules according to their symmetry. Molecular symmetry is a fundamental concept in chemistry, as it can be used to predict or explain m ...

. The

length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Inte ...

of the P−H bond is 1.42 Å, the H−P−H

bond angle Bond or bonds may refer to: Common meanings * Bond (finance), a type of debt security * Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States * Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemical ...

s are 93.5 °. The dipole moment is 0.58 D, which increases with

substitution Substitution may refer to: Arts and media *Chord substitution, in music, swapping one chord for a related one within a chord progression *Substitution (poetry), a variation in poetic scansion * "Substitution" (song), a 2009 song by Silversun Pic ...

methyl group In organic chemistry, a methyl group is an alkyl derived from methane, containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, having chemical formula . In formulas, the group is often abbreviated as Me. This hydrocarbon group occurs in ma ...

s in the series: , 1.10 D; , 1.23 D; , 1.19 D. In contrast, the dipole moments of amines decrease with substitution, starting with

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous ...

, which has a dipole moment of 1.47 D. The low dipole moment and almost orthogonal bond angles lead to the conclusion that in the P−H bonds are almost entirely and phosphorus 3s orbital contributes little to the bonding between phosphorus and hydrogen in this molecule. For this reason, the lone pair on phosphorus may be regarded as predominantly formed by the 3s orbital of phosphorus. The upfield chemical shift of the phosphorus atom in the ³¹P NMR spectrum accords with the conclusion that the lone pair electrons occupy the 3s orbital (Fluck, 1973). This electronic structure leads to a lack of

nucleophilicity In chemistry, a nucleophile is a chemical species that forms bonds by donating an electron pair. All molecules and ions with a free pair of electrons or at least one pi bond can act as nucleophiles. Because nucleophiles donate electrons, they are ...

in general and lack of basicity in particular (p''K''_aH = –14), as well as an ability to form only weak

hydrogen bonds In chemistry, a hydrogen bond (or H-bond) is a primarily electrostatic force of attraction between a hydrogen (H) atom which is covalently bound to a more electronegative "donor" atom or group (Dn), and another electronegative atom bearing a l ...

. The aqueous

solubility In chemistry, solubility is the ability of a substance, the solute, to form a solution with another substance, the solvent. Insolubility is the opposite property, the inability of the solute to form such a solution. The extent of the solubi ...

of is slight; 0.22 cm³ of gas dissolves in 1 cm³ of water. Phosphine dissolves more readily in non-polar solvents than in water because of the non-polar P−H bonds. It is technically

amphoteric In chemistry, an amphoteric compound () is a molecule or ion that can react both as an acid and as a base. What exactly this can mean depends on which definitions of acids and bases are being used. One type of amphoteric species are amphipro ...

in water, but acid and base activity is poor. Proton exchange proceeds via a

phosphonium In polyatomic cations with the chemical formula (where R is a hydrogen or an alkyl, aryl, or halide group). These cations have tetrahedral structures. The salts are generally colorless or take the color of the anions. Types of phosphonium ...

() ion in acidic solutions and via

phosphanide Phosphanides are chemicals containing the H2sup>− anion. This is also known as the phosphino anion or phosphido ligand. The IUPAC name can also be dihydridophosphate(1−). It can occur as a group phosphanyl -PH2 in organic compounds or ligand ...

() at high pH, with equilibrium constants ''K''_b = and ''K''_a = .

Water

Phosphine upon contact with water at high pressure and temperature produces

phosphoric acid Phosphoric acid (orthophosphoric acid, monophosphoric acid or phosphoric(V) acid) is a colorless, odorless phosphorus-containing solid, and inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is commonly encountered as an 85% aqueous solution, w ...

and hydrogen: :

Burning

Burning phosphine in the air produced

phosphorus pentoxide Phosphorus pentoxide is a chemical compound with molecular formula P4 O10 (with its common name derived from its empirical formula, P2O5). This white crystalline solid is the anhydride of phosphoric acid. It is a powerful desiccant and dehydra ...

(P₂O₅) (which reacts with water to produce

): :

Preparation and occurrence

Phosphine may be prepared in a variety of ways. Industrially it can be made by the reaction of white

with

sodium Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable ...

potassium hydroxide Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula K OH, and is commonly called caustic potash. Along with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), KOH is a prototypical strong base. It has many industrial and niche applications, most of which exp ...

, producing

potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin '' kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmos ...

or sodium hypophosphite as a by-product. : : Alternatively, the acid-catalyzed

disproportionation In chemistry, disproportionation, sometimes called dismutation, is a redox reaction in which one compound of intermediate oxidation state converts to two compounds, one of higher and one of lower oxidation states. More generally, the term can ...

of white

yields

and phosphine. Both routes have industrial significance; the acid route is the preferred method if further reaction of the phosphine to substituted phosphines is needed. The acid route requires purification and pressurizing.

Laboratory routes

It is prepared in the laboratory by

phosphorous acid Phosphorous acid (or phosphonic acid (singular)) is the compound described by the formula H3PO3. This acid is diprotic (readily ionizes two protons), not triprotic as might be suggested by this formula. Phosphorous acid is an intermediate in th ...

: : Phosphine evolution occurs at around 200 °C. Alternative methods are the hydrolysis of

tris(trimethylsilyl)phosphine Tris(trimethylsilyl)phosphine is the organophosphorus compound with the formula P(SiMe3)3 (Me = methyl). It is a colorless liquid that ignites in air and hydrolyses readily. Synthesis Tris(trimethylsilyl)phosphine is prepared by treating trimeth ...

, or of metal phosphides such as

aluminium phosphide Aluminium phosphide is a highly toxic inorganic compound with the chemical formula AlP, used as a wide band gap semiconductor and a fumigant. This colorless solid is generally sold as a grey-green-yellow powder due to the presence of impurities a ...

, or

: : Pure samples of phosphine, free from , may be prepared using the action of

phosphonium iodide Phosphonium iodide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is an example of a salt containing an unsubstituted phosphonium cation (). Phosphonium iodide is commonly used as storage for phosphine and as a reagent for substituting phosphorus int ...

: :

Occurrence

Phosphine is a worldwide constituent of the Earth's atmosphere at very low and highly variable concentrations. It may contribute significantly to the global phosphorus biochemical cycle. The most likely source is reduction of

phosphate In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthophosphoric acid . The phosphate or orthophosphate ion is derived from phosph ...

in decaying organic matter, possibly via partial reductions and

s, since environmental systems do not have known reducing agents of sufficient strength to directly convert phosphate to phosphine. It is also found in

Jupiter Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but slightly less than one-thousand ...

's atmosphere.

Possible extraterrestrial biosignature

In 2020 a spectroscopic analysis was reported to show signs of phosphine in the

atmosphere of Venus The atmosphere of Venus is the layer of gases surrounding Venus. It is composed primarily of supercritical carbon dioxide and is much denser and hotter than that of Earth. The temperature at the surface is 740 K (467 °C, 872 ...

in quantities that could not be explained by known abiotic processes. Later re-analysis of this work showed interpolation errors had been made, re-analysis of data with the fixed algorithm either do not result in the detection of phosphine or detect it with a much lower concentration of 1 ppb.

Applications

Organophosphorus chemistry

Phosphine is a precursor to many

organophosphorus compounds Organophosphorus compounds are organic compounds containing phosphorus. They are used primarily in pest control as an alternative to chlorinated hydrocarbons that persist in the environment. Some organophosphorus compounds are highly effective ins ...

. It reacts with formaldehyde in the presence of

hydrogen chloride The compound hydrogen chloride has the chemical formula and as such is a hydrogen halide. At room temperature, it is a colourless gas, which forms white fumes of hydrochloric acid upon contact with atmospheric water vapor. Hydrogen chlorid ...

to give

tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride (THPC) is an organophosphorus compound with the chemical formula (CH2OH)4l. The cation P(CH2OH)4+ is four-coordinate, as is typical for phosphonium salts. THPC has applications as a precursor to fire-re ...

, which is used in textiles. The

hydrophosphination Hydrophosphination is the insertion of a carbon-carbon multiple bond into a phosphorus-hydrogen bond forming a new phosphorus-carbon bond. Like other hydrofunctionalizations, the rate and regiochemistry of the insertion reaction is influenced by ...

of alkenes is versatile route to a variety of phosphines. For example, in the presence of basic catalysts adds of Michael acceptors. Thus with

acrylonitrile Acrylonitrile is an organic compound with the formula and the structure . It is a colorless, volatile liquid although commercial samples can be yellow due to impurities. It has a pungent odor of garlic or onions. In terms of its molecula ...

, it reacts to give

tris(cyanoethyl)phosphine Tris(cyanoethyl)phosphine is the organophosphorus compound with the formula P(CH2CH2CN)3. It is white solid that is air stable, which is unusual for a trialkylphosphine. It is prepared by the hydrophosphination of acrylonitrile with phosphine. ...

: : (Z is , CN, or ) Acid catalysis is applicable to hydrophosphination with

isobutylene Isobutylene (or 2-methylpropene) is a hydrocarbon with the chemical formula . It is a four-carbon branched alkene (olefin), one of the four isomers of butylene. It is a colorless flammable gas, and is of considerable industrial value. Producti ...

and related analogues: : (R is , alkyl, etc.)

Microelectronics

Phosphine is used as a

dopant A dopant, also called a doping agent, is a trace of impurity element that is introduced into a chemical material to alter its original electrical or optical properties. The amount of dopant necessary to cause changes is typically very low. Whe ...

in the

semiconductor A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way ...

industry, and a precursor for the deposition of

compound semiconductor Semiconductor materials are nominally small band gap insulators. The defining property of a semiconductor material is that it can be compromised by doping it with impurities that alter its electronic properties in a controllable way. Because of ...

s. Commercially significant products include

gallium phosphide Gallium phosphide (GaP), a phosphide of gallium, is a compound semiconductor material with an indirect band gap of 2.24 eV at room temperature. Impure polycrystalline material has the appearance of pale orange or grayish pieces. Undoped single ...

and

indium phosphide Indium phosphide (InP) is a binary semiconductor composed of indium and phosphorus. It has a face-centered cubic (" zincblende") crystal structure, identical to that of GaAs and most of the III-V semiconductors. Manufacturing Indium phosphide ...

Fumigant

For farm use, pellets of

(AlP),

(Ca₃P₂), or

zinc phosphide Zinc phosphide ( Zn3 P2) is an inorganic chemical compound. It is a grey solid, although commercial samples are often dark or even black. It is used as a rodenticide. Zn3P2 is a II-V semiconductor with a direct band gap of 1.5 eV and may have a ...

(Zn₃P₂) release phosphine upon contact with atmospheric water or rodents' stomach acid. These pellets also contain agents to reduce the potential for

ignition Ignition may refer to: Science and technology * Firelighting, the human act of creating a fire for warmth, cooking and other uses * Combustion, an exothermic chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant * Fusion ignition, the point at which a ...

explosion An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Supersonic explosions created by high explosives are known ...

of the released phosphine. A more recent alternative is the use of phosphine gas itself which requires dilution with either or or even air to bring it below the flammability point. Use of the gas avoids the issues related with the solid residues left by metal phosphide and results in faster, more efficient control of the target pests. Because the previously popular

fumigant Fumigation is a method of pest control or the removal of harmful micro-organisms by completely filling an area with gaseous pesticides—or fumigants—to suffocate or poison the pests within. It is used to control pests in buildings (s ...

methyl bromide Bromomethane, commonly known as methyl bromide, is an organobromine compound with formula C H3 Br. This colorless, odorless, nonflammable gas is produced both industrially and biologically. It has a tetrahedral shape and it is a recognized ozo ...

has been phased out in some countries under the

Montreal Protocol The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was agreed on 16 September 1987, and entered into force ...

, phosphine is the only widely used, cost-effective, rapidly acting fumigant that does not leave residues on the stored product. Pests with high levels of resistance toward phosphine have become common in Asia, Australia and Brazil. High level resistance is also likely to occur in other regions, but has not been as closely monitored. Genetic variants that contribute to high level resistance to phosphine have been identified in the

dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD), also known as dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase, mitochondrial, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''DLD'' gene. DLD is a flavoprotein enzyme that oxidizes dihydrolipoamide to lipoamide. Dihydrolipoamid ...

gene. Identification of this gene now allows rapid molecular identification of resistant insects.

Toxicity and safety

Deaths have resulted from accidental exposure to fumigation materials containing

or phosphine. It can be absorbed either by

inhalation Inhalation (or Inspiration) happens when air or other gases enter the lungs. Inhalation of air Inhalation of air, as part of the cycle of breathing, is a vital process for all human life. The process is autonomic (though there are exceptions ...

transdermal Transdermal is a route of administration wherein active ingredients are delivered across the skin for systemic distribution. Examples include transdermal patches used for medicine delivery. The drug is administered in the form of a patch or ointme ...

ly. As a respiratory poison, it affects the transport of oxygen or interferes with the utilization of oxygen by various cells in the body. Exposure results in

pulmonary edema Pulmonary edema, also known as pulmonary congestion, is excessive liquid accumulation in the tissue and air spaces (usually alveoli) of the lungs. It leads to impaired gas exchange and may cause hypoxemia and respiratory failure. It is due ...

(the lungs fill with fluid). Phosphine gas is heavier than air so it stays near the floor. Phosphine appears to be mainly a redox toxin, causing cell damage by inducing

oxidative stress Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between the systemic manifestation of reactive oxygen species and a biological system's ability to readily detoxify the reactive intermediates or to repair the resulting damage. Disturbances in the normal ...

and mitochondrial dysfunction. Resistance in insects is caused by a mutation in a mitochondrial metabolic gene. Phosphine can be absorbed into the body by inhalation. Direct contact with phosphine liquid – although unlikely to occur – may cause frostbite, like other cryogenic liquids. The main target organ of phosphine gas is the respiratory tract. According to the 2009 U.S.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, ) is the United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH is part of the C ...

(NIOSH) pocket guide, and U.S.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration'' (OSHA ) is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. Congress established the agen ...

(OSHA) regulation, the 8 hour average respiratory exposure should not exceed 0.3 ppm. NIOSH recommends that the short term respiratory exposure to phosphine gas should not exceed 1 ppm. The Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health level is 50 ppm. Overexposure to phosphine gas causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, thirst, chest tightness,

dyspnea Shortness of breath (SOB), also medically known as dyspnea (in AmE) or dyspnoea (in BrE), is an uncomfortable feeling of not being able to breathe well enough. The American Thoracic Society defines it as "a subjective experience of breathing di ...

(breathing difficulty), muscle pain, chills, stupor or syncope, and pulmonary edema. Phosphine has been reported to have the odor of decaying fish or garlic at concentrations below 0.3 ppm. The smell is normally restricted to laboratory areas or phosphine processing since the smell comes from the way the phosphine is extracted from the environment. However, it may occur elsewhere, such as in industrial waste landfills. Exposure to higher concentrations may cause olfactory fatigue.

Explosiveness

Phosphine gas is denser than air and hence may collect in low-lying areas. It can form explosive mixtures with air, and may also self-ignite.

Notes

References

External links

International Chemical Safety Card 0694
!-- Syntax: -->
CDC – Phosphine – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic
{{Authority control Fumigants Functional groups Industrial gases * Phosphorus hydrides Phosphorus(−III) compounds Blood agents