Learning Objectives

List the different types of poisons and their effects

Describe the modes of actions

of different types of poisons

Explain how toxicity is measured using LD50

Explain factors affecting LD50 results

Illustrate why route of administration is important

1

Toxicology
Science of poisons and poisoning
Reasons

Accidental
Environmental
Occupational

Deliberate
2

Toxicology
Use of poisoning to commit murder
Common in the old days
Less common now
Chemicals tightly controlled
3

Corrosives
Strong acids and alkalis
Concentrated
sulfuric acid
Vitriol
GHS symbol for corrosives
4

Victim of acid attack

in Cambodia, 2007

Victims of acid attack

in Bangladesh, 2011
6

Acid attack case in

Malaysia, 2009

Ameneh Bahrami
Before and after
her acid attack
Drastic effects of sulfuric
acid on the human body
Ameneh Bahrami
8

Irritants
Lead, mercury, arsenic
Irritate the gut
Cause nausea or diarrhoea
Other effects after absorption
9

Systemic Poisons
Attack biochemical systems in body
1

Cyanide

Carbon monoxide

Interfere with action

of mitochondria
Hemoglobin

10

Systemic Poisons
Affects the nervous system

Strychnine

Morphine

Atropine

Synthetic pesticides and nerve agents

Affects the nervous system

11

Systemic Poisons
7

Inorganic poisons

Arsenic
Antimony

Mercury
Thallium
12

Cyanide
Cassava root is
a staple food

Cassava plant
13

Cyanide
Cutting open the cassava root
Plant releases cyanide
Few cases yearly
Cassava root not properly prepared
14

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Poisoning by CO
Common
Accidental
Deliberate
15

How CO works as a poison

Blocks hemoglobin

RBC containing hemoglobin

16

How CO works as a poison

Hemoglobin
Protein
Responsible for oxygen transport

17

How CO works as a poison

Always have some hemoglobin bound to CO
CO strongly bound; O2 cannot compete

CO always present in air

Amount of CO in air too small to harm us
18

How CO works as a poison

Poisonous when CO in air
rises above a certain level
Blood is red because
of the hemoglobin
A drop of blood
19

Gas-Hemoglobin Complexes
Color of hemoglobin depends
on the molecule bound to iron

Fe-O2 complex
Fe-CO complex

Red
Pink

20

Sources of CO
Partial combustion of fuel
or other organic material

Burning butane gas (C4H10)

In excess air
In limited amounts of air
21

Sources of CO
Burning butane (C4H10) in excess air
C4H10

6.5 O2

4 CO2

5 H2 O

Burning butane (C4H10) in limited amounts of air

C4H10

5.5 O2

2 CO2

5 H2 O

2 CO
22

Sources of CO
Partial combustion of
hydrocarbon fuels

Improper ventilation

CO concentration can
build up to toxic levels

23

Presidente Hotel Poisoning

5 people killed
Rooms directly above parking garage
Stairs leading up from garage to room

24

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Much less toxic than CO
Does not bind to hemoglobin

Asphyxiation

CO2 replaces air

No oxygen
25

Lake Nyos, Cameroon, West Africa

26

Lake Nyos, Cameroon, West Africa

Old volcanic crater filled up with rainwater
Became a lake

Ground under lake giving off CO2

CO2 seeped into lake
27

Lake Nyos, Cameroon, West Africa

Cold water in lakes lower layer

Super-saturated with CO2

CO2 unable to escape due to warmer
water above the cold lower layer

28

Socrates
(399 BC)
29

Socrates
Convicted of corrupting
the youths of Athens
Encouraged
them to think
Socrates
30

Socrates
Sentenced to death
Poisoning
Hemlock plant extract

Hemlock plant
31

Socrates
Hemlock contains
various alkaloids
Coniine
Coniine

32

Socrates
Symptoms experienced after drinking hemlock
Numbness from feet upwards
Paralysis reached heart and lungs
Died
33

Augustus

34

Augustus
Poisoned by Empress Livia
Suspected that Livia
wanted to poison him
Refused to eat food
prepared for him

Augustus
35

Augustus
Only ate fruits
from his fig tree
Livia injected
poison into figs
Caesar poisoned
after eating fruits

Figs of Ficus carica

36

Lakhvinder
Cheema
37

2009

Lakhvinder Cheema

Lakhvir Singh
38

2009
Cheema and his fiance
had leftover curry for dinner

39

2009
Became very ill
Called emergency services
Food poisoning?
Actual poisoning
40

2009
Sent to the hospital
Lakhvinder Cheema died soon after

His fiance survived

Lakhvir Singh convicted
41

Questions
1

How had Lakhvir Singh done the poisoning?

How did she get such a potent poison?

42

Aconitum ferox
Native to the Himalayas
Used as a poison in India
Lakhvir Singh went to
India to obtain plant

43

Aconitum ferox
Went to Cheemas house
Poisoned his curry

Traces of plant found on her

Convicted
44

Aconitum ferox
Contains a very complex alkaloid
Shuts down the
nervous system
Brain still working

Pseudaconitine
45

Hell hath no fury like

a woman scorned
William Congreve (1670 1729)
46

Accidental poisoning
Plants as a cause of poisoning

47

Blooming wild garlic

48

Accidental poisoning
Plants as a cause of poisoning
Wild garlic leaves vs meadow saffron leaves
Look very similar
Wild garlic
49

Accidental poisoning
Meadow saffron
is highly toxic

Meadow saffron
50

Accidental poisoning
Contains colchicine
Anti-cancer
Overdose
leads to death

Colchicine
51

Accidental poisoning
Plants as a cause of poisoning
Wild garlic leaves vs meadow saffron leaves
Potato plants
Potato tubers
52

Accidental poisoning
Potato tuber is harmless
Potato fruits are toxic

Potato fruits
53

Accidental poisoning
Potato fruits are toxic
Contains oxalic acid
Could have serious
effects in children

Oxalic acid

54

Accidental poisoning
Rhubarb
Stems are edible
Leaves are toxic
Rhubarb
55

Toxins
Natural substances produced
by living species (animals)
Attack biochemical systems

56

Box jellyfish
57

Black widow spider

58

Fugu fish
59

Fugu fish poisoning

20 to 44 poisonings per year
Japanese delicacy
Tetrodotoxin poison

Concentrated in
internal organs

Fugu fish
60

Fugu fish poisoning

Chefs undergo training on how
to remove toxic internal organs
Poisonings because of amateur chefs
7% fatality rate
61

Coastal Taipan
62

Cleopatra
Egyptian Queen

Cleopatra
63

Cleopatra
Affair with Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar
64

Cleopatra
Got together
with Mark Antony
Lost the Final War of
the Roman Republic
Mark Antony
65

Cleopatra
Wanted to commit suicide
Wanted to look nice after death

Tried out different means of suicide

Snake poison
66

Asp
67

Biological poisons
Responsible for botulism

Clostridium botulinum
68

Botox
Paralyze muscles
Injection in a
localized area
Does not paralyze
vital muscles
Botox treatment
69

Biological poisons
Responsible for anthrax
Weaponized anthrax
available since WWII

Bacillus anthracis
70

Anthrax outbreak
During the 9/11 crisis

9/11 World Trade Centre attack

71

Anthrax outbreak
Anthrax letters

72

Anthrax outbreak
Suspicion turned to Bruce Ivins
U.S. Army microbiologist
Had anthrax in his lab
Committed suicide

Bruce Ivins
73

Poisons
Any substance which, if taken into or formed
in the body, destroys life or impairs health.

74

Paracelsus
Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus
von Hohenheim (1493 1541)

First to think scientifically

about poisoning
Medicinal chemist

Paracelsus
75

Paracelsus
All substances are poisons, there is none which is
not a poison. The right dose differentiates a
poison from a remedy.
Even water

76

Lethal water
Water poisoning
Over 7 litres

Lethal dose

77

KDND, Sacramento, California

Hold Your Wee For a Wii
See how much water people can drink
Winner wins Wii game station

78

KDND, Sacramento, California

Drank about 7.5 L of water
Went home, became
unwell and died
Family compensated
U.S. $16 million

Jennifer Strange
79

KDND, Sacramento, California

Jennifer Strange placed second
I didnt know what was wrong with me. I
just knew I had never felt so sick in my life.
- Winner of contest, Lucy Davidson

80

Fox glove
81

Fox glove
Poisonous European wild plant
Contains digitalin
Potent heart muscle stimulant

Over-consumption leads to death

82

Digitalin
Also used clinically
Failing heart
Give controlled dose of digitalin

Heart beats properly

83

Dose-Response
Steepness of the curve
Variable
How to measure toxicity?

84

Measuring toxicity: LD50

Lethal dose for 50 percent
Amount of chemical required
to kill half of the test population

85

Measuring toxicity: LD50

Lethal dose for 50 percent
Amount of chemical required
to kill half of the test population
How accurate is LD50?

86

Accuracy of LD50
1

Vary according to administration of poison

Oral administration vs direct injection

87

Accuracy of LD50
1

Vary according to administration of poison

Depend on species used for testing

Typically mice or rats
Assume similar LD50 values for humans
88

Accuracy of LD50
Lethal dose for 50 percent

Amount of chemical required

to kill half of the test population
How accurate is LD50?

Guidelines
89

Lethal doses
Types of poison

Lethal dose
(g / kg), mice

Sodium cyanide

10 000

Curare/
strychnine

500

Tetrodotoxin

8 20

Cobra neurotoxin

0.3

Tetanus toxin

0.07

Botulism toxin

0.03

Measure dose
per unit body
weight

90

Factors affecting LD50

1

Size
Larger doses for larger bodies (mg/kg)

Age

State of health

Metabolism changes with age

Liver condition
91

Factors affecting LD50

4

History

Build up and loss of tolerance

E.g. heroin addict

Keep increasing dose

Tolerance

Loses tolerance after a

long time without heroin
92

Factors affecting LD50

5

Paradoxical reactions

Rare but known

E.g. anti-malarial medicine Lariam

Side effects

Depression

93

Factors affecting LD50

Vanessa Brunt

Went to South China

Took Lariam

Became very depressed

Committed suicide
94

What Paracelsus did not say

Poison must reach target organ
1

Absorption into the body

Build up to lethal levels before excretion

95

Mercury
1

Swallow metallic mercury

Glass mercury
thermometers
Does not absorb
into the body
96

Mercury
1

Swallow metallic mercury

Inject metallic mercury into bloodstream

Ingest mercurous chloride (HgCl, calomel)

Ingest mercuric chloride (HgCl2)

More soluble in water, rapid absorption
97

Mercury
1

Swallow metallic mercury

Inject metallic mercury into bloodstream

Ingest mercurous chloride (HgCl, calomel)

Ingest mercuric chloride (HgCl2)

Inhale mercury vapour

98

Inhaling mercury vapour

Absorbed very rapidly
Go straight to bloodstream

99

King Charles II
Many hobbies
Interested in chemistry
Lab accident

Poisoned by
mercury vapor

King Charles II
100

Route of Administration
Must reach target organ to be effective

101

Route of Administration
1

Oral administration
Absorbed through digestive tract

102

Route of Administration
1

Oral administration

Intravenous

Directly into bloodstream

Fast and efficient

103

Route of Administration
1

Oral administration

Intravenous

Inhalation

Through mucus membranes

Rapidly from lungs to blood

Fast and efficient

104

Forensic Toxicology
In
Food, drink, air
Absorption &
desorption of
gases
Detox

Deposited
in hair, nails

Processing &
absorption

Out
Feces, urine,
sweat, exhaled air
105

What happens to your food?

Proteins are broken
down into peptides

Peptides broken down

into amino acids
Saccharides broken
down into sugars
106

Snake venom
Complex peptides

Drinking the venom?

Relatively safe
Peptides converted
to amino acids

Milking snake venom

107

Forensic Toxicology
Enter bloodstream
after digestion
Liver = detox factory
Get past liver to go to
the rest of the body
108

Forensic Toxicology
Enter bloodstream
after digestion
Liver = detox factory
Get past liver to go to
the rest of the body
109

Forensic Toxicology
Blood flows past the
lungs to rest of body
Membrane around brain
Prevent molecules
from going into brain
110

Xenobiotics
Strange molecules
Pharmaceuticals
Illegal drugs
Natural substances

Other substances

Nicotine, caffeine
Ethanol
111

Xenobiotics
1

Accumulation in body

Excretion

Lead or strontium
in bones

Arsenic or thallium
Deposited in hair or fingernails

Transform

Increase solubility

Excrete
112

Xenobiotics

Caffeine

113

Xenobiotics
Caffeine that is ingested

Goes into bloodstream

Stimulates brain
Coffee berries

114

Xenobiotics

Caffeine
Liver wants to remove caffeine

Transform it

115

Alcohol
Most common poison
Controversial

Essential?
Or evil?
116

Alcohol
Show evils of alcohol
Gin

Gin consumption
was enormous
Gin Lane
117

Alcohol

Beer Street

Beer contains
less alcohol

Better than gin

118

Distribution of alcohol
What happens when someone drinks alcohol?

119

Distribution of alcohol
Rate of adsorption depends on
Kind of drink

Stomach contents
Distributed via the cardio-vascular system
120

Effect of alcohol
Depress the Central Nervous System (CNS)

Depress inhibitions
Depress ability to make judgments

Depress ability to react to situations

Depress reflex times
121

Alcohol
1

How much is too much (legally)?

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) after a drink?

Calculated from the amount
of alcohol consumed

122

How much is too much (legally)?

Amount of alcohol
consumed (g)

c = a / pr
Max. conc. (g/ 1000 ml)
Usually converted to
mg / 100 ml of blood

Persons weight (kg)

Widmark factor
Men: r = 0.68
Women: r = 0.55
123

Scenario
If a man of 70 kg drinks a double whisky, what
is the concentration of alcohol in his blood?
1

Whisky = 43% alcohol

Density of ethanol = 0.79 gcm3

A single = 25 cm3

Amount of alcohol consumed

= 0.43 x 50 cm3 x 0.79 gcm3 = 17.0 g
124

Scenario
c = a / pr

c = 17 / (70 x 0.68)
c = 0.36 g per 1000 ml of blood
c = 0.036 g per 100 ml of blood
c = 36 mg per 100 ml of blood
125

Effect of alcohol
Effect of alcohol on the brain?
Vary according to amount of alcohol

126

Effect of alcohol
Blood alcohol
conc. (mg/100 ml)

Effects

<50

No obvious effect

50 100

Loss of coordination and sensory

perception, some slurred speech

100 150

Marked loss of coordination, poor

sensory perception, possibly nausea

150 200

Drunkenness, nausea, inability to stand, vomiting

200 300

Probably coma

>300

Coma and anaesthesia, impaired circulation

and respiration, possible death

>450

Probable death due to respiratory paralysis

127

Elimination of alcohol
Alcohol present in nature
Fermentation of food
Biomechanism for eliminating alcohol from body

128

Elimination of alcohol
Alcohol dehydrogenase
(liver, small intestine)

CH3CHO
Acetaldehyde

C5H5OH
Ethanol

Aldehyde
dehydrogenase
(liver)
CO2
Carbon dioxide

CH3CO2H
Acetic acid
129

Elimination of alcohol
95% - 98% of alcohol consumed end up as CO2
2% - 5% excreted by kidneys and lungs

130

Distribution of alcohol
Uniformly throughout the body
Except parts with low water content
Bones, fat, hair

Higher in arterial blood than in

veinous blood during absorption
131

Distribution of alcohol
Usually measure blood alcohol
Same concentration as in the brain
Gas chromatography
Roadside

Post-mortem

Measure breath alcohol

Blood, urine, vitreous humor
132

Henrys Law
How is breath alcohol related to blood alcohol?

133

Henrys Law
How is breath alcohol related to blood alcohol?
Blood alcohol to breath alcohol
2300: 1 ratio
Multiply breath alcohol to get blood alcohol
134

Breath alcohol
Measured at roadside
using breathalyzers
Chromium chemistry

Breathalyzer
135

Breath alcohol
K2Cr2O7

2 Cr2(SO4)3

8 H2SO4

3 CH3COOH

3 C2H5OH

2 K2SO4

11 H2O

Amount of K2Cr2O7 converted to Cr2(SO4)3

Measure loss of absorbance at 420 nm
136

Blood Alcohol Curve

Car accident
One driver drives off
Caught hours later
Blood alcohol level
at time of accident?
137

Blood Alcohol Curve

Back calculate from time
of test to time of accident
Plot BAC against time

138

Blood Alcohol Curve

139

Scenario
A man is arrested after driving a car that was
involved in an accident at 3:00 am. Reliable
eye-witnesses confirm that the driver last
drank an alcoholic drink at least 2 hours
earlier. A blood sample taken at 5:00 am
shows a blood alcohol concentration of 70
mg per 100 ml. Was the driver over the limit?
140

Scenario
Length of time between last drink and accident
is enough to assume that alcohol absorption
has ceased

Down slope of blood alcohol curve

How fast peoples bodies eliminate alcohol
141

Method 1
Lowest elimination rate
= 12.5 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour
Ct = C0 t

142

Method 1
Ct = C0 t
Ct = blood alcohol conc. at time of measurement

C0 = blood alcohol conc. at time of interest

t = time elapsed
= alcohol elimination rate
143

Method 1
Lowest elimination rate
= 12.5 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour

Ct = C0 t

C0 = Ct + t

C0 = 70 + 2(12.5) = 95 mg per 100 ml

144

Method 1
Highest elimination rate
= 25 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour
Ct = C0 t

C0 = Ct + t

C0 = 70 + 2(25) = 120 mg per 100 ml

Conclusion: Man was above legal limit
145

Method 2
Lowest elimination rate
12.5 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour
2 hours at 12.5 mg per hour = 25 mg
Add that 25 mg to the 5 am measurement
70 + 25 = 95 mg per 100 ml
146

Method 2
Highest elimination rate
25 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour
2 hours at 25 mg per hour = 50 mg

Add that 50 mg to the 5 am measurement

70 + 50 = 120 mg per 100 ml
147

Methods 1 & 2
Both methods give same conclusion

Man was above legal limit

Alcohol generates most work for toxicologists

148

Inorganic poisons
Toxic elements
vs organic poisons

Elements may neither be

created nor destroyed
Robert Boyle
149

Inorganic poisons
Arsenic, antimony, mercury, thallium
Detectable after death
Detectable after burial
Detectable after cremation
150

Arsenic trioxide
Once readily and
legally available
Fowlers solution

Arsenic trioxide
151

Arsenic trioxide
Flypaper
Paper coated with glue
Arsenic added to glue

Flypaper
152

Arsenic trioxide
FDA (U.S.) approved for use in the
treatment of some kinds of leukemia

Trisenox

153

Arsenic trioxide
Very common poison in the Victorian era
Inheritance powder

154

A lot of money
in 1869
Arsenic poisoning
confused with
liver disease?

And adding
arsenic?
To drug him?

To test for arsenic

Due to arsenic?
Travelling court
155

Arsenic trioxide
Widespread use of arsenic in poisoning
Reliable method of testing for arsenic?

156

Marsh Test
Forensic use of
testing for arsenic
Developed by James Marsh
Now superseded by AAS
James Marsh
157

Marsh Test
As2O3

6 Zn
2 AsH3

12 HCl
3 H 2O

6 ZnCl2

158

Marsh apparatus
159

Marsh Test
Can confirm presence of arsenic
Can also estimate the amount of arsenic

Only arsenic and antimony behave this way

Chemists are able to tell them apart
160

Marsh Test
Marsh Test very effective and credible in court
Prosecution got better

Defense

Styrian Defence

161

The Styrian Defence

Styrian peasants were
eating arsenic trioxide
Ate 300 to 400 mg
every 2 to 3 days
Lethal dose <200 mg
162

The Styrian Defence

1

How did they do it?

Slow release of As2O3?
Build up of tolerance?

163

The Styrian Defence

2

Why did they do it?

Women

Improve health?

Improve complexion?
Blood vessels damaged

Men

Improve sexual potency?

164

Florence
Maybrick
165

Florence & James Maybrick

166

Liverpool, 1889
Florence Maybrick
Charged with murdering
her husband with arsenic
Tries the Styrian Defence

167

Liverpool, 1889
Prosecution
Arsenic purchased and soaked from flypapers
Defense
For use as a cosmetic face wash
168

Liverpool, 1889
Prosecution
Arsenic detected in James Maybricks body
Defense
Self-medication
169

Liverpool, 1889
Verdict: guilty
Sentenced to hang
Commuted to 15 years in prison
Died in 1941
170

Maine,
New England
2003
171

Maine, New England, 2003

Arsenic poisoning case concerning a
church and the church congregation

172

Maine, New England, 2003

Walter Morrill
died in hospital

Daniel Bondeson
committed suicide

28 April

2 May

27 April

Chemical tests run

Had sandwiches & coffee

Arsenic in brewed coffee

2 dozen people fell sick

Arsenic in Morrills body

& in surviving victims
173

Maine, New England, 2003

Conclusion
Daniel Bondeson added arsenic to
the coffee during church service

174

Maine, New England, 2003

Where was the arsenic from?

From an old agricultural chemical

Motive?

Church dispute?
Overdose?
175

Thallium
Formerly widely available
Rat poison

Rat poison
176

Thallium
Lethal dose 12 mg / kg
Interferes with nervous system

Due to chemical similarity with potassium

177

Thallium
Characteristic symptom
Hair will fall out

178

Graham Young

179

1962
Murdered stepmother
when he was age 14
Sent to Broadmoor
Psychiatric Hospital
Detained and treated

Graham Young
180

1971
Released from hospital
Worked in a warehouse
Poisoned the tea
of his co-workers

Tea
181

Graham Young
Used low doses of thallium or antimony
8 fell ill; 2 died
Bob Egle
Fred Biggs

Cremated
Death triggered investigation
182

Graham Young
Bob Egle

Cremated
Thallium cannot be destroyed
Thallium present in ashes

Graham Young convicted

Life in prison
183

Graham Youngs fans?

Shizuoka, Japan, 2006

17 year old girl poisoned mother with thallium

She did not hold a grudge against her mother
she just wanted to do an experiment.

184

Poisoning
Arsenic and thallium

Well known in toxicology

Other elements less well-known
Analysis is rarely done
185

Barium poisoning
Very uncommon
Few people have access
to barium compounds

186

Marie Robards
Poisoned her father
with barium acetate
Father died
No foul play suspected

Marie Robards
187

Marie Robards
Went to University
Studied the play Hamlet

Scene where Hamlets father was murdered

Affected by it

Confessed to a friend
188

Investigation
Victim exhumed
Presence of barium in his body
Marie Robards convicted
Barium was stolen from school chemistry lab
189

Use of Barium
Medical X-rays

Soft tissues do not show up on X-rays

190

Barium meal
Contains Barium
Show up digestive
system on X-rays

X-ray after barium meal

191

Barium meal
Why doesnt it poison the patient?

Barium sulphate is insoluble in water

Not absorbed by the body
Excreted
192

Sarin
Discovered
in
Germany in 1938
Stockpiled by Hitler
Never used in WWII

CH3P(O)(F)OCH(CH3)2

193

March 1988
Used by Iraqi military against Kurdish villagers
Stops nervous system
Causes death

Aftermath of Halabja chemical attack

194

Aum Shinrikyo Cult

Released Sarin gas in Matsumoto in June 1994
7 dead, 200 hospitalized
1995 Tokyo subway attack
12 dead, 1000 hospitalized
195

Neurotransmission
How do nerve agents work?
Interfere with biochemical mechanism

196

Granule cell with axon

197

Mechanism of action of Sarin

What if there is excess neurotransmitter?
Continued nerve stimulation
Twitching, convulsions, paralysis and death
Often starts with blindness
198

Mechanism of action of Sarin

When would there be excess neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitter concentration is
regulated by acetyl cholinesterase
Converts acetyl choline to inactive choline

199

Mechanism of action of Sarin

Acetyl
cholinesterase

Acetyl choline

Choline
Inactive

200

Mechanism of action of Sarin

Sarin is an acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Excess acetyl choline cannot be destroyed
Present in excess

201

The Rock
Renegade soldiers steals
chemical weapons
Hero exposed to nerve gas
Injected himself
with antidote

The Rock
202

Atropine
Antidote to Sarin
Opposite effect of Sarin

Inhibits action of acetyl choline

Atropine
203

Atropine
Toxic if not taken as antidote
Inhibits action of neurotransmitter

LD50 (rat, oral) 500 mg / kg

204

Atropine
Natural compound from
Atropa belladonna

Atropa belladonna
205

Atropine
Atropine dilates the pupils
Beautiful

Used in optometry
Atropa belladonna
206

Poisoning
Less common nowadays
Difficult to obtain poisons
Chemistry professors can
obtain poisons easily

207

Paul Agutter

208

Paul Agutter
Convicted of poisoning
his wife with atropine
Atropine from
his research lab
Paul Agutter
209

Paul Agutter
How did he do it?
Added atropine to
his wifes gin & tonic

Gin & Tonic

210

Paul Agutter
Tried to mislead investigators
Added atropine to the tonic
water at local supermarket

211

Paul Agutter
Found out by the police
Lesser atropine added to tonic
bottles than to his wifes drink
Wife survived
Convicted of attempted murder
212

Georgi Markov

213

Georgi Markov
Bulgarian Dissident
Defected to Britain in 1971
Worked for BBC
World Service
Georgi Markov
214

Thursday, 7 Sept 1979

Jabbed in the leg by an
umbrella on Waterloo Bridge
Admitted to hospital the next day
Died on Monday

215

Autopsy results
Puncture wound
Tissue sent to Porton Down
Found a tiny metallic sphere

216

SEM-EDX results
90% platinum, 10% iridium
Sphere was hollow
Enough space for
2 mg of poison

SEM-EDX of sphere
217

Poison used
Complex polypeptide
Ricin

Isolated from castor oil plant

Castor oil plant
218

Umbrella
Pellet gun

Also used on Vladmir Kostov (Paris, 1978)

219

Umbrella
Markov: injected pellet close to blood vessel
Ricin absorbed rapidly

Kostov: injected pellet close to muscle tissue

Slow absorbance of ricin
220

Question
Was Georgi Markov murdered by
the Bulgarian Secret Service?
Likely

221

Alexander
Litvinenko
222

Alexander Litvinenko
KGB then FSB officer
1998

Serious critic of Russian government

2000

Asylum in London

2006

Became very ill and died in hospital

223

Alexander Litvinenko
Hair loss
Thallium poisoning?

No thallium detected
Poisoned with Polonium-210

Alexander Litvinenko
after being poisoned
224

Polonium
Radioactive
Occurs in trace amounts
Manufactured in nuclear reactors
Russia
225

Polonium
Contained 210Po is not very dangerous
If ingested
No barrier between radioactive
atoms and biochemical molecules

Radiation poison
226

Radiation
Energy given out is
highly characteristic
210Po

found at over 30
locations in London
Tracked to two British
Airways planes
227

Summary
1

Different types of poisons and their effects

Modes of actions of different poisons

Importance of routes of administration

Measuring toxicity using LD50

228

Summary
5

Xenobiotics

Alcohol

Paracelsus

Actions of arsenic, thallium, sarin, atropine

229