Baby Safety / Compounds / Zinc phosphide

Is Zinc phosphide safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Zinc phosphide, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is zinc phosphide?

The IUPAC name is trizinc bis(phosphorus(3-)).

Also known as: trizinc bis(phosphorus(3-)), Trizinc diphosphide, ZINCUM PHOSPHORATUM, Eraze.

IUPAC name
trizinc bis(phosphorus(3-))
CAS number
1314-84-7
Molecular formula
P2Zn3
Molecular weight
258.1 g/mol
SMILES
[P-3].[P-3].[Zn+2].[Zn+2].[Zn+2]
PubChem CID
25113606

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Zinc phosphide, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Zinc phosphide, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

6 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Zinc phosphide. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
OSHA—Occupational exposure limit
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: equivocal, 2 positive / 0 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: equivocal, 2 positive / 0 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Eye Irritation: Category 2B (score: moderate)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Not classified (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Sensitization: Not classified (score: low)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter zinc phosphide

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Zinc phosphide:

  • Integrated Pest Management (IPM); Biopesticides; Physical controls
    Trade-offs: Combines biological, cultural, and targeted chemical controls; reduces overall chemical use 30-70%; requires trained practitioners and monitoring infrastructure; higher management complexity; proven effective at scale in many crop systems.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain zinc phosphide?

Zinc phosphide appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

Why do regulators disagree about zinc phosphide?

Zinc phosphide has been classified by 6 agencies including OSHA, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Zinc phosphide in the baby app

Look up products containing zinc phosphide, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (4)
  1. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Zinc Phosphide Rodenticide Toxicosis — Phosphine Gas Hazard and Clinical Management (2021) — report
  2. US EPA: Zinc Phosphide — Reregistration Eligibility Decision and Risk Assessment (2011) — regulatory
  3. Knight MW: Zinc Phosphide Toxicosis in Small Animals. Veterinary Medicine — Clinical Features and Treatment Protocols (1988) — report
  4. WHO: Environmental Health Criteria 73 — Phosphine and Selected Metal Phosphides (1988) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →