Absorption of Zinc Phosphide Particles

Abstract

ALTHOUGH human poisoning by the rodenticide zinc phosphide is said to be fairly common in the Far East there are only four cases described in the medical literature and of these only one had fatal outcome^1,2. From these cases it appears that death may occur in one of two ways, either within a few hours of ingestion or as a result of liver damage several days later. We recently investigated a case in which the clinical and chemical evidence suggested poisoning of the latter type. The outstanding feature was the liberation of about a microgram of phosphine at room temperature from 20-gm. samples of liver and kidney after acidification of the tissue. Detection and identification of the phosphine were by the method of Curry, Rutter and Lim Chin-Hua³. The findings indicated that zinc phosphide was present in these organs and at first sight it was difficult to visualize the mechanism and route of absorption of this poison from the alimentary tract.