#smellofphosphine

[forensicfield]

Astronomers detected signs of a smelly, toxic gas Phosphine, that microbes can make in the planet’s clouds

Question- What is Phosphine? Answer- Phosphine is the compound with the chemical formula PH3, classed as a pnictogen hydride. It is a colorless, flammable, very toxic gas. Pure phosphine is odorless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like garlic or decaying fish, due to the presence of substituted phosphine and diphosphane (P2H4). With traces of P2H4 present, PH3 is spontaneously flammable in air (pyrophoric), burning with a luminous flame.

IUPAC name: phosphane

Question- How is Phosphine made? Answer- Phosphine is a constituent of the Earth’s atmosphere at very low and highly variable concentrations. Phosphine is also made naturally by some species of anaerobic bacteria—organisms that live in the oxygen-starved environments of landfills, marshlands, and even animal guts. phosphine can only be made by life whether human or microbe. It had also been used as a chemical weapon during World War I. Phosphine is manufactured as an agricultural fumigant, is used in the semiconductor industry, and is a nasty byproduct of meth labs.

Question- Is phosphine gas Toxic? Answer- 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 (breathing difficulty), muscle pain, chills, stupor or syncope, and pulmonary edema.