How can phosphine affect my health?
Inhalation is the most likely route of exposure to phosphine. Early symptoms of acute phosphine intoxication include pain in the diaphragm, nausea, vomiting, excitement, and a phosphorus smell on the breath. Higher levels can cause weakness, bronchitis, pulmonary edema, shortness of breath, convulsions, and death. Some effects, such as pulmonary edema, convulsions, and liver injury, may appear or continue to be present days after an exposure. Long-term exposure to very low levels of phosphine can result in anemia, bronchitis, gastrointestinal effects, and visual, speech and motor problems. Liquid phosphine on your skin can cause frostbite. Ingestion of metal phosphides results in release of phosphine in your stomach which can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. No information is available regarding reproductive effects in humans exposed to phosphine gas. Phosphine has not been shown to cause reproductive effects in laboratory animals.
