Phosphene gas

Patricia Garland <patricia.garland [at] yale__edu> writes

>Does anyone know anything about phosphene gas? I know that it is
>used in the food industry, but I have a client who has some
>paintings down in Jamaica and someone there proposes using this gas
>as way to eradicate drywood termites.

    **** Moderator's comments: A brief note on nomenclature. When
    the original query arrived, I assumed the spelling was in error,
    but found that 'phosphene' is in fact an alternate spelling.

        From Air Liquide's site
            <URL:http://www.airliquide.com/en/business/
                products/gases/gasdata/index.asp?GasID=51>

            (The above URL has been wrapped for email. There should
            be no newline).

        PH3 ; Phosphine
        CAS Number : 7803-51-2
        UN2199

        Phosphene; Hydrogen phosphide; Phosphorus trihydride;
        Phosphorus hydride

No doubt what is meant here is phosphine, an extremely toxic gas.
>From the Military Pest Management Handbook,

   "Hydrogen phosphide. Upon exposure to atmospheric moisture, both
    aluminum phosphide and magnesium phosphide releases a gas known
    as hydrogen phosphide, PH3 or phosphine. ... It has a
    garlic-like odor and can completely penetrate even closely
    packed commodities. It is used to fumigate stored products,
    indoors or outdoors, using polyethylene or vinyl-coated
    tarpaulins which must be sealed to the floor or ground. Don't
    use it with cloth or canvas tarpaulins. It is also effective for
    treating stored products in sealed boxcars or covered hopper
    cars in transit. This includes piggy-back truck vans, but only
    while the van is on a flat-bed rail car. Other military uses
    include fumigation of raw agricultural commodities and
    structural or space fumigation for pests of stored products and
    dry wood. Caution: Hydrogen phosphide gas can explode in a
    vacuum environment, so use it only under atmospheric conditions.
    It will leave treated material and the fumigated stack within 1
    hour with normal ventilation procedures. Under specific
    atmospheric conditions, when moisture condensation occurs on
    items being fumigated, phosphine can corrode copper or products
    containing copper (for example, computers, copiers, et cetera).
    For this reason, adequately protect instruments with exposed
    copper or copper wiring with plastic or remove these objects
    from the fumigation area. Also, pest managers must not let any
    form or residue of aluminum phosphide to contact any processed
    food. With the exception of a few high oil content products (for
    example, peanut butter), phosphine will not produce a food
    residue. Phosphine is highly toxic to all forms of human, insect
    and other animal life. For this reason, only teams of certified
    and specially trained individuals can apply the fumigant and
    clear fumigated stacks or areas."

Patrick Gallagher
Materials Preservation
Sunnyvale, California


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 17:3
                   Distributed: Friday, June 20, 2003
                        Message Id: cdl-17-3-006
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