Table 4.

Chemical and Toxicity Characteristics of Elemental YPMP.12, 13, 14

Phosphorus compound lethal dose	Chemical characteristics	Clinical toxicity	Common preparations, uses
Red phosphorus	•Amorphous, non-volatile, insoluble, non-absorbable	Non-toxic
White/yellow phosphorus Toxic dose: < 1 mg/kg Lethal dose: > 1 mg/kg	•Luminous, shiny, waxy, translucent •On exposure oxidizes and turns yellow on surface to produce dense smoky phosphoric and phosphorus acid fumes with very strong garlicky odor	Highly toxic	•Household rodenticides
Aluminum phosphide (AlP) lethal dose: 20 mg/kg	•Unstable, rapidly releases phosphene gas on exposure or contact with gastric acid	•GI irritation, nausea, severe vomiting due to corrosive action of phosphene •Hypotensive shock and metabolic acidosis (in a few hours) •Early hepatotoxicity and mortality	•Agricultural and industrial rodenticides (fumigant, powder, tablet, or pellet) •Production of ammunitions, firecrackers, and fertilizers
Zinc Phosphide (Zn3P2) Lethal dose: 1–5 g	•Stable, releases phosphene gas slowly on contact with gastric acid	•Minor early symptoms/local toxicity •Delayed (in 3–5 days) severe hepatotoxicity	•Household rodenticide (2–7% paste in 15 gm and 35 gm tubes, granules) •Agricultural rodenticide (powder, tablet) (32–80%)

GI, gastrointestinal; YPMP, yellow phosphorus or metal phosphides.