phosphine

American  

[fos-feen, -fin] / ˈfɒs fin, -fɪn /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, poisonous, ill-smelling, flammable gas, PH 3 .

2. any of certain organic derivatives of this compound.

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phosphine British  

/ ˈfɒsfiːn /

noun

1. a colourless flammable gas that is slightly soluble in water and has a strong fishy odour: used as a pesticide. Formula: PH 3

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Etymology

Origin of phosphine

First recorded in 1870–75; phosph- + -ine ¹

Explanation

Phosphine is a poisonous gas that has a strong, distinctively fishy smell. Exterminators sometimes use phosphine to kill pests or keep them from infesting shipments of grains. Phosphine is an effective way to kill bedbugs, rats, and other pests, but it can also be very dangerous for humans who are exposed to the toxic substance. The chemical is mainly used in industrial extermination, often to fumigate the goods on container ships, but it's also used in the semiconductor industry and is sometimes an ingredient in flame retardants. People who work with phosphine have to be careful to avoid inhaling it.

Example Sentences

Similar to traditional palladium-based catalysis, the behavior of photoexcited palladium catalysts is highly dependent on the phosphine ligand attached to the metal.

From Science Daily • Nov. 26, 2025

"Proof has been found that this chemical product was used by the hotel," the report added, indicating that there was "solid proof" that the family "died as a result of phosphine gas".

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

On Earth, phosphine arises naturally from decaying organic material in swamps, but on other planets, it is rare and intriguing.

From Science Daily • Nov. 9, 2025

In 2020 researchers publishing in the journal Nature Astronomy revealed that the atmosphere of Venus appeared to contain trace amounts of phosphine, a gas associated with anaerobic bacteria on Earth.

From Salon • Nov. 24, 2024

The gas itself contained from 0.0672 to 0.0837 per cent. by volume of phosphine.

From Acetylene, the Principles of Its Generation and Use A Practical Handbook on the Production, Purification, and Subsequent Treatment of Acetylene for the Development of Light, Heat, and Power by Leeds, F. H. (Frank Henley)