Zinc phosphide is an efficient?

NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2019

Pharmacology

Easy

Appeared in: NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2019

Explanation

Zinc phosphide is classified as a highly effective, single-dose, acute-acting rodenticide used to control populations of rats, mice, and other rodents.
Its toxicity is due to its reaction with stomach acid upon ingestion, which liberates poisonous phosphine (PH₃) gas.
Phosphine gas causes widespread cellular damage by inhibiting mitochondrial respiration and producing free radicals, leading to rapid systemic toxicity and death.

Option B: An insecticide is a substance used to kill insects. Zinc phosphide's mechanism of action (releasing phosphine gas in the stomach) is targeted at mammals, not insects.
Option C: A bactericide is a substance that kills bacteria. Zinc phosphide has no antimicrobial properties and is not used for this purpose.
Option D: A disinfectant is a chemical agent used to destroy or inactivate microorganisms on inanimate surfaces. Zinc phosphide is a metabolic poison intended for ingestion by pests and is highly toxic to humans and other animals; it is never used for surface disinfection.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Toxicology and classification of pesticides as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must be able to quickly recognize the signs of zinc phosphide poisoning, especially the characteristic garlic-like odor on the patient's breath or in their vomitus, to initiate emergency management promptly.
A critical patient and staff safety measure is to handle vomitus in a well-ventilated area while wearing appropriate PPE, as the exhaled phosphine gas is toxic to healthcare providers upon inhalation.
What if? The patient is a child who accidentally ingested the bait but is currently asymptomatic. The nurse should not adopt a 'wait and see' approach. Immediate transfer to an emergency department for observation and potential gastric decontamination is crucial, as symptoms can be delayed but progress rapidly once they appear.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which asks for the primary use or classification of the chemical 'zinc phosphide'.
This is a factual recall question based on knowledge from toxicology, pharmacology, or community health nursing.
Analyze the term 'zinc phosphide' and recall its common application as 'rat poison'.
Evaluate the suffixes of the options: -cide means 'to kill'. Rodenticide (rodents), Insecticide (insects), Bactericide (bacteria).
Match the known use of zinc phosphide (killing rodents) with the correct term, which is 'Rodenticide'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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