We are left with four main scenarios in which arsine gas is produced and/or encountered:

• aqueous solutions of oxidized arsenic compounds in contact with metals
• metal arsenides in contact with water/moisture
• release of arsine from cylinders
• electrolysis in which solutions contain arsenic

While semiconductor and electronics industries are responsible for consuming the great majority of the world’s manufactured arsine, exposures to arsine released from cylinders or associated devices have not been the most common scenarios in which serious arsine poisoning has occurred. At least, to date.

In the meantime, be careful when filling your hydrogen balloons, keep those metal arsenides dry, take a respirator when cruising on WWI submarines, and don’t substitute home-made hydrogen for helium when you want to sound like a chipmunk to your children.

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