Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Poisons
- Substance can be chemical,
physical or biological- cause death or harm
- Case Study-Georgi
Markov (Ricin Poisoning)
- Substances generally harmful to
the body, no beneficial effects
- Origin, physical form, chemical nature, chemical
activity, target sites,uses?
- Physical poisons- ground glass and
asbestos
- Anions- Cyanide (NaCN KCN), Hypochlorite (bleach), Oxalate (rhubarb
leaves), nitrite and nitrate, sulphite
- Corrosive Agents, typically acids and alkalis- HCl, HNO3, H2SO4,
NaOH, heavy metal salts, some strong detergents.
- Metals and metalloid, especially heavy metals- Arsenic (As),
Antimony (Sb), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), Chromates.
- Gases and Volatile substances- CO, HCN, butane, propane, acetone-
cause death through heart failure or choking on vomit
- Radioactive substances-harmful (cancer treatments)-
Litvinenko murder (polonium)
- Pesticides- Insecticides, Herbicides (paraquat), Rodenticide
(Warfarin)
- Organic chemicals- hydrocarbons and alcohols depress the central nervous
system, aldehydes and ketones are mostly irritants
- Drugs- beneficial or desired effects
- Drugs of Abuse-potentially harmful substances deliberately for
the mood and mind-altering effects
- Toxins- produced by biological
function in nature
- poison produced by a micro-organism or other organism and
acting as an antigen in the body
- Venom- biological toxin injected by bite
or sting
- Alkaloids
- Naturally occurring
chemical compound
- Contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms
- Produced by a large variety of organisms (bacteria,
fungi, plants and animals) eg cocaine and heroin
- invoke bitter taste
- Plant- Aconitine (from monkshood), Coniine (from
hemlock) etc.