Spot diagnosis of aluminium phosphide ingestion: an application of a simple test

Silver nitrate impregnated paper test was performed with the gastric fluid and in breath in 50 patients of aluminium phosphide poisoning. The test was 100% positive with gastric fluid but was positive in 50% patients in breath. The test is simple, reliable and sensitive method to detect phosphine (PH3) for bed side diagnosis of aluminium phosphide (AIP) ingestion.