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ALUMINUM PHOSPHIDE PESTICIDE

6.1 - Poison
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The Chemical Identifier fields include common identification numbers, the NFPA diamond U.S. Department of Transportation hazard labels, and a general description of the chemical. The information in CAMEO Chemicals comes from a variety of data sources.
CAS Number UN/NA Number
  • 20859-73-8
DOT Hazard Label USCG CHRIS Code
  • Poison
none
NIOSH Pocket Guide International Chem Safety Card
none
NFPA 704
Diamond Hazard Value Description
4
4 2
W
Blue Health 4 Can be lethal.
Red Flammability 4 Burns readily. Rapidly or completely vaporizes at atmospheric pressure and normal ambient temperature.
Yellow Instability 2 Readily undergoes violent chemical changes at elevated temperatures and pressures.
White Special W Reacts violently or explosively with water.
(NFPA, 2010)
General Description
Dark gray or dark yellow solid. Contact may irritate skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Toxic by ingestion, inhalation and skin absorption. Used as an insecticide.

The Hazard fields include special hazard alerts air and water reactions, fire hazards, health hazards, a reactivity profile, and details about reactive groups assignments and potentially incompatible absorbents. The information in CAMEO Chemicals comes from a variety of data sources.
Reactivity Alerts
  • Strong Reducing Agent
  • Water-Reactive
  • Air-Reactive
Air & Water Reactions
Decomposes in moist air and in water to give toxic gaseous phosphine which often ignites [Merck 11th ed. 1989]. It is included as a water reactive despite the fact that the coating applied to the particles in the pesticide application is likely to slow the hydrolysis.

Based on a scenario where the chemical is spilled into an excess of water (at least 5 fold excess of water), half of the maximum theoretical yield of Phosphine gas will be created in 15 minutes. Experimental details are in the following: "Development of the Table of Initial Isolation and Protective Distances for the 2008 Emergency Response Guidebook", ANL/DIS-09-2, D.F. Brown, H.M. Hartmann, W.A. Freeman, and W.D. Haney, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, June 2009.
Fire Hazard
Excerpt from ERG Guide 157 [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Non-Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

Non-combustible, substance itself does not burn but may decompose upon heating to produce corrosive and/or toxic fumes. UN1796, UN1802, UN1826, UN2032, UN3084, UN3085, and, at concentrations above 65%, UN2031 may act as oxidizers. Also consult ERG Guide 140. Vapors may accumulate in confined areas (basement, tanks, hopper/tank cars, etc.). Substance may react with water (some violently), releasing corrosive and/or toxic gases and runoff. Contact with metals may evolve flammable hydrogen gas. Containers may explode when heated or if contaminated with water. (ERG, 2020)
Health Hazard
Excerpt from ERG Guide 157 [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Non-Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

TOXIC; inhalation, ingestion or contact (skin, eyes) with vapors, dusts or substance may cause severe injury, burns or death. Reaction with water or moist air may release toxic, corrosive or flammable gases. Reaction with water may generate much heat that will increase the concentration of fumes in the air. Fire will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may be corrosive and/or toxic and cause environmental contamination. (ERG, 2020)
Reactivity Profile
ALUMINUM PHOSPHIDE PESTICIDE is a reducing agent. Can react vigorously with oxidizing agents [Sax, 9th ed., p. 119]. Produces highly toxic phosphine gas upon contact with water or alkali. Evolves phosphine with explosive violence in contact with mineral acids [Wang, C. C. et al.; J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem., 1963, 25, p. 327]. Decomposes when heated to give highly toxic fumes of oxides of phosphorus.
Belongs to the Following Reactive Group(s)
Potentially Incompatible Absorbents

No information available.

The Response Recommendation fields include isolation and evacuation distances, as well as recommendations for firefighting, non-fire response, protective clothing, and first aid. The information in CAMEO Chemicals comes from a variety of data sources.
Isolation and Evacuation
Excerpt from ERG Guide 157 [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Non-Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE: Isolate spill or leak area in all directions for at least 50 meters (150 feet) for liquids and at least 25 meters (75 feet) for solids.

SPILL: See ERG Table 1 - Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances on the UN/NA 3048 datasheet.

FIRE: If tank, rail car or tank truck is involved in a fire, ISOLATE for 800 meters (1/2 mile) in all directions; also, consider initial evacuation for 800 meters (1/2 mile) in all directions. (ERG, 2020)
Firefighting
Excerpt from ERG Guide 157 [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Non-Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

Note: Some foams will react with the material and release corrosive/toxic gases.

SMALL FIRE: CO2 (except for Cyanides), dry chemical, dry sand, alcohol-resistant foam.

LARGE FIRE: Water spray, fog or alcohol-resistant foam. If it can be done safely, move undamaged containers away from the area around the fire. Avoid aiming straight or solid streams directly onto the product. Dike runoff from fire control for later disposal.

FIRE INVOLVING TANKS OR CAR/TRAILER LOADS: Fight fire from maximum distance or use unmanned master stream devices or monitor nozzles. Do not get water inside containers. Cool containers with flooding quantities of water until well after fire is out. Withdraw immediately in case of rising sound from venting safety devices or discoloration of tank. ALWAYS stay away from tanks engulfed in fire. (ERG, 2020)
Non-Fire Response
Excerpt from ERG Guide 157 [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Non-Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

ELIMINATE all ignition sources (no smoking, flares, sparks or flames) from immediate area. All equipment used when handling the product must be grounded. Do not touch damaged containers or spilled material unless wearing appropriate protective clothing. Stop leak if you can do it without risk. A vapor-suppressing foam may be used to reduce vapors. DO NOT GET WATER INSIDE CONTAINERS. Use water spray to reduce vapors or divert vapor cloud drift. Avoid allowing water runoff to contact spilled material. Prevent entry into waterways, sewers, basements or confined areas.

SMALL SPILL: Cover with DRY earth, DRY sand or other non-combustible material followed with plastic sheet to minimize spreading or contact with rain. Use clean, non-sparking tools to collect material and place it into loosely covered plastic containers for later disposal. (ERG, 2020)
Protective Clothing
Excerpt from ERG Guide 157 [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Non-Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

Wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Wear chemical protective clothing that is specifically recommended by the manufacturer when there is NO RISK OF FIRE. Structural firefighters' protective clothing provides thermal protection but only limited chemical protection. (ERG, 2020)
DuPont Tychem® Suit Fabrics
No information available.
First Aid
Excerpt from ERG Guide 157 [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Non-Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

Call 911 or emergency medical service. Ensure that medical personnel are aware of the material(s) involved and take precautions to protect themselves. Move victim to fresh air if it can be done safely. Give artificial respiration if victim is not breathing. Do not perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if victim ingested or inhaled the substance; wash face and mouth before giving artificial respiration. Use a pocket mask equipped with a one-way valve or other proper respiratory medical device. Administer oxygen if breathing is difficult. Remove and isolate contaminated clothing and shoes. In case of contact with substance, immediately flush skin or eyes with running water for at least 20 minutes. In case of skin contact with Hydrofluoric acid (UN1790), if calcium gluconate gel is available, rinse 5 minutes, then apply gel. Otherwise, continue rinsing until medical treatment is available. For minor skin contact, avoid spreading material on unaffected skin. Keep victim calm and warm. Effects of exposure (inhalation, ingestion or skin contact) to substance may be delayed. (ERG, 2020)

The Physical Property fields include properties such as vapor pressure and boiling point, as well as explosive limits and toxic exposure thresholds The information in CAMEO Chemicals comes from a variety of data sources.

Note: For Vapor Density and Specific Gravity, comparing the value to 1.0 can tell you if the chemical will likely sink/rise in air or sink/float in fresh water (respectively). Short phrases have been added to those values below as an aid. However, make sure to also consider the circumstances of a release. The Vapor Density comparisons are only valid when the gas escaping is at the same temperature as the surrounding air itself. If the chemical is escaping from a container where it was pressurized or refrigerated, it may first escape and behave as a heavy gas and sink in the air (even if it has a Vapor Density value less than 1). Also, the Specific Gravity comparisons are for fresh water (density 1.0 g/mL). If your spill is in salt water (density about 1.027 g/mL), you need to adjust the point of comparison. There are some chemicals that will sink in fresh water and float in salt water.
Chemical Formula:
  • AlP
Flash Point: data unavailable
Lower Explosive Limit (LEL): data unavailable
Upper Explosive Limit (UEL): data unavailable
Autoignition Temperature: data unavailable
Melting Point: data unavailable
Vapor Pressure: data unavailable
Vapor Density (Relative to Air): data unavailable
Specific Gravity: data unavailable
Boiling Point: data unavailable
Molecular Weight: data unavailable
Water Solubility: data unavailable
Ionization Energy/Potential: data unavailable
IDLH: data unavailable

AEGLs (Acute Exposure Guideline Levels)

Final AEGLs for Aluminum phosphide (20859-73-8)
Exposure Period AEGL-1 AEGL-2 AEGL-3
10 minutes NR 4 ppm 7.2 ppm
30 minutes NR 4 ppm 7.2 ppm
60 minutes NR 2 ppm 3.6 ppm
4 hours NR 0.5 ppm 0.9 ppm
8 hours NR 0.25 ppm 0.45 ppm
NR = Not recommended due to insufficient data
(NAC/NRC, 2023)

ERPGs (Emergency Response Planning Guidelines)

No ERPG information available.

PACs (Protective Action Criteria)

Chemical PAC-1 PAC-2 PAC-3
Aluminum phosphide (20859-73-8) 1.3 ppm 2 ppm 3.6 ppm
(DOE, 2018)

The Regulatory Information fields include information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Title III Consolidated List of Lists, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals Standard List (see more about these data sources).

EPA Consolidated List of Lists

Regulatory Name CAS Number/
313 Category Code
EPCRA 302
EHS TPQ
EPCRA 304
EHS RQ
CERCLA RQ EPCRA 313
TRI
RCRA
Code
CAA 112(r)
RMP TQ
Aluminum phosphide 20859-73-8 500 pounds 100 pounds 100 pounds 313 P006

(EPA List of Lists, 2022)

CISA Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS)

RELEASE THEFT SABOTAGE
Chemical of Interest CAS Number Min Conc STQ Security
Issue
Min Conc STQ Security
Issue
Min Conc STQ Security
Issue
Aluminum phosphide 20859-73-8 ACG APA sabotage/ contamination

(CISA, 2007)

OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard List

No regulatory information available.

This section provides a listing of alternate names for this chemical, including trade names and synonyms.
  • ALUMINUM PHOSPHIDE PESTICIDE

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