Molecular mechanism of Aluminium & Zinc Phosphide Toxicity: focus on analytical techniques used for their forensic analysis

Phosphides of aluminium and zinc are most commonly used as poisons in developing countries including India. The intentional and unintentional misuses of these poisons are widely known in suicidal and homicidal attempts across the world. In the medico-legal cases of death it is very difficult to identify the cause of the death in the cases of phosphides poisoning. Thephosphine (PHJ₃) gas release in the body after ingestion of phosphide poison is highly reactive and unstable molecule and escape within milliseconds from the site of generation. So their analysis is of great concern in the medico-legal cases. Recent advances in pharmacological and toxicological studies on the metal phosphides have been suggested the role of free radicals in the mechanism of their toxicity. So, there is need to review the present status of the phosphide poisoning and recent advances/approaches used in the understanding of their mechanism of toxicity and analysis with emphasis laid on the emerging techniques used for their forensic analysis.