Phosphane |

Last updated: 27/08/2025
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(Also known as: phosphamine; phosphorus trihydride) |
The following alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement. These hazard alerts do not take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus do not represent risk.
Environmental fate |
Ecotoxicity |
Human health |
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The major uses of phosphine are as a fumigant during the storage of agricultural products and against vertebrates. Small amounts can occur in nature via the breakdown of other substances such as aluminium phosphide. |
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Bean weevil; Fruit moth; Grain beetle; Meal moth; Tobacco moth; Meal worm; Leaf beetle; Flour beetle; Pink bollworm; Maize weevil |
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Stored grain; Stored animal feed; Leaf-stored tobacco; Cotton seed; Coffee; Cacoa; Tree nuts; Oilseeds |
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Efficacy has been proven via extensive use over many years |
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- |
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- |
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Approved |
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31/12/2027 |
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No UK approval for use as a plant protection agent |
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414) |
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Approved |
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Spain/Germany |
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15/03/2026 |
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No |
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Yes |
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ATAustria |
BEBelgium |
BGBulgaria |
CYCyprus |
CZCzech Republic |
DEGermany |
DKDenmark |
EEEstonia |
ELGreece |
✓ |
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  |
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✓ |
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  |
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ESSpain |
FIFinland |
FRFrance |
HRCroatia |
HUHungary |
IEIreland |
ITItaly |
LTLithuania |
LULuxembourg |
  |
  |
  |
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  |
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  |
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LVLatvia |
MTMalta |
NLNetherlands |
PLPoland |
PTPortugal |
RORomania |
SESweden |
SISlovenia |
SKSlovakia |
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ISIceland |
NONorway |
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None |
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PH₃ |
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P |
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- |
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XYFCBTPGUUZFHI-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
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InChI=1S/H3P/h1H3 |
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Yes |
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Insecticide; Metabolite; Fumigant |
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Soil |
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Fumigant pesticide |
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985 g kg⁻¹ |
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EU dossier - arsane <0.027 g kg⁻¹ |
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Natural |
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Nerve toxin with respiratory action, mitochondrial complex IV electron transport inhibitor |
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Although rarely found in nature, small amounts of phosphine can be formed naturally via the anaerobic decay of phosphorus-containing organic matter |
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Crop protection |
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Bean weevil; Fruit moth; Grain beetle; Meal moth; Tobacco moth; Meal worm; Leaf beetle; Flour beetle; Pink bollworm; Maize weevil |
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Stored grain; Stored animal feed; Leaf-stored tobacco; Cotton seed; Coffee; Cacoa; Tree nuts; Oilseeds |
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- |
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7803-51-2 |
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232-260-8 |
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127 |
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066500 |
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24404 |
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015-181-00-1 |
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34.0 |
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- |
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phosphane |
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phosphine |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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24A |
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Not applicable |
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- |
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Colourless gas |
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Current |
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circa 1780, introduced |
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- Excel
- Rentokil
- Detia Degesch
- Young II
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- Fosfina
- Gas EX-B
- Detia Gas Ex-B
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Fumigant |
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Phosphane is produced by reacting water or acid with metallic phosphides. It may also be formed during the production of acetylene gas |
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While exact GHG emission figures for phosphane are not publicly available, very rough estimates based on similar production processes suggest a very rough value of 12-16 tonnes CO₂e per tonnes of product, depending on process efficiency, energy source, and waste treatment. Data includes direct, indirect and upstream emissions. |
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371 |
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Moderate |
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695 |
Ethanol |
- |
2780 |
Ether |
- |
3970 |
Cyclohexanol |
- |
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-134 |
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- |
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-87.7 |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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-15 |
(Ignition is due to presence of diphosphane) |
- |
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5.37 X 10-01 |
Calculated |
- |
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-0.27 |
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Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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1.512 |
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
- |
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1.06 X 1006 |
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Highly volatile. If applied directly to plants or soil, drift is a concern & mitigation is advisable |
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33269 |
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
Volatile |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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0.2 |
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Non-persistent |
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0.23 |
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Non-persistent |
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- |
- |
- |
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0.69 |
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Non-persistent |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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EU dossier lab studies DT₅₀ 0.22-0.24 days, sand, n=2; DT₉₀ estimated between 0.66-0.72 days |
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- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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Not relevant |
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Very rapid |
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Very rapid |
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1 to 1.5 days at pH 4, 7 and 9, 20 °C |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below. |
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- |
Soil adsorption and mobility |
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Known groundwater metabolites |
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None
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hypophosphite |
- |
Human |
- |
phosphite |
- |
Human |
- |
Terrestrial ecotoxicology |
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< 40 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source Rat as zinc phosphide |
High |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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0.007 |
Oncorhynchus mykiss mean value |
High |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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0.2 |
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source Daphnia magna |
Moderate |
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- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
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HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION |
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High (class III) |
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- |
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< 40 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source Rat as zinc phosphide |
High |
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- |
- |
- |
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> 0.015 |
Rat 4 hr (whole body) |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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0.011 |
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- |
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0.019 |
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- |
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0.02 |
Rat SF=100 |
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0.011 |
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- |
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10 |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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May be fatal if inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through skin. |
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Excreted mostly with expired air |
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Carcinogen |
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Endocrine disruptor |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
A2 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 2 = Mixed/ambiguous results ; B3 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) 3 = Negative ; C2 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database) 2 = Mixed/ambiguous results ; D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; E2 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 2 = Mixed/ambiguous results |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
Reproduction / development effects |
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor |
Neurotoxicant |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
?Possibly, status not identified |
Respiratory tract irritant |
Skin irritant |
Skin sensitiser |
No data found |
✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
No data found |
Eye irritant |
Phototoxicant |
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✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
No data found |
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Inhalation may result in weakness, chest pain and tightness, dry mouth, cough, sickness May cause pulmonary oedema May cause oxidative stress |
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Extremely flammable Corrosive Reacts violently with air, oxygen, halogens and other oxidants causing fire and explosion hazard IMDG Transport Hazard Class 2.3 |
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Health: H330, H314 Handling; H280, H220 |
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Not classified: Fumigant (Not classified: Fumigant) |
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UN2199 |
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phosphane |
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- |
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Phosphorwasserstoff |
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- |
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fosforowodor |
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Record last updated: |
27/08/2025 |
Contact: |
aeru@herts.ac.uk |
Please cite as: |
Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242 |