Why is it in the news?
→ Doctors at PGIMER achieved a global breakthrough in treating aluminium phosphide poisoning using intravenous lipid emulsion therapy.
→ Aluminium phosphide poisoning continues to be a serious public health challenge, especially in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Category
S&T
Important Points
- Aluminium phosphide is commonly known as Celphos.
- It is a yellow or dark grey crystalline solid with a garlic-like odour.
- It is a cheap and commonly used pesticide.
- It liberates lethal phosphine gas on contact with atmospheric moisture or hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
- Aluminium phosphide poisoning is a major public health issue in agricultural states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
- It is a highly toxic fumigant used as an indoor pesticide for grain storage.
- It is often dispersed in pellets that react with moisture to produce phosphine gas.
- It is also used in making semiconductor materials such as light-emitting diodes.
- Phosphine gas is highly flammable and very toxic.
- Toxicity mechanisms include cellular hypoxia due to mitochondrial effects, inhibition of cytochrome C oxidase, and formation of hydroxyl radicals.