1Learning Objectives
List the different types of poisons and their effects
Explain factors affecting LD50 results
Illustrate why route of administration is important
Explain how toxicity is measured using LD50
1
3
4
Describe the modes of actions
of different types of poisons2
5
2Toxicology
Environmental
Science of poisons and poisoning
Reasons Accidental
Occupational
Deliberate
3Toxicology
Less common now
Chemicals tightly controlled
Use of poisoning to commit murder
Common in the old days
4Corrosives
Strong acids and alkalis
Concentrated
sulfuric acid
VitriolGHS symbol for corrosives
5Victim of acid attack
in Cambodia, 2007
6Victims of acid attack
in Bangladesh, 2011
7Acid attack case in
Malaysia, 2009
8Before and after
her acid attack
Ameneh Bahrami
Ameneh Bahrami
Drastic effects of sulfuric
acid on the human body
9Irritants
Other effects after absorption
Lead, mercury, arsenic
Cause nausea or diarrhoea
Irritate the gut
10
Systemic Poisons
Interfere with action
of mitochondria
Hemoglobin
Attack biochemical systems in body
Cyanide
Carbon monoxide
1
2
11
Systemic Poisons
Affects the nervous systemStrychnine3
Morphine4
Atropine Affects the nervous system5
Synthetic pesticides and nerve agents6
12
Systemic Poisons
Inorganic poisons7 Arsenic
Antimony
Mercury
Thallium
13
Cassava plant
Cassava root is
a staple food
Cyanide
14
Cutting open the cassava root
Cyanide
Few cases yearly
Plant releases cyanide
Cassava root not properly prepared
15
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Deliberate
Poisoning by CO
Accidental
Common
16
How CO works as a poison
Blocks hemoglobin
RBC containing hemoglobin
17
How CO works as a poison
Protein
Hemoglobin
Responsible for oxygen transport
18
How CO works as a poison
CO strongly bound; O2 cannot compete
Always have some hemoglobin bound to CO
Amount of CO in air too small to harm us
CO always present in air
19
How CO works as a poison
Blood is red because
of the hemoglobin
Poisonous when CO in air
rises above a certain level
A drop of blood
20
Gas-Hemoglobin Complexes
Fe-O2 complex Red
Fe-CO complex Pink
Color of hemoglobin depends
on the molecule bound to iron
21
Sources of CO
Burning butane gas (C4H10)
Partial combustion of fuel
or other organic material
In excess air
In limited amounts of air
22
Sources of CO
Burning butane (C4H10) in excess air
Burning butane (C4H10) in limited amounts of air
C4H10
C4H10
6.5 O2 4 CO2 5 H2O
5.5 O2
2 CO2 5 H2O 2 CO
23
Sources of CO
Partial combustion of
hydrocarbon fuels
CO concentration can
build up to toxic levels
Improper ventilation
24
Presidente Hotel Poisoning
5 people killed
Rooms directly above parking garage
Stairs leading up from garage to room
25
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
No oxygen
Much less toxic than CO
CO2 replaces airAsphyxiation
Does not bind to hemoglobin
26
Lake Nyos, Cameroon, West Africa
27
Lake Nyos, Cameroon, West Africa
Old volcanic crater filled up with rainwater
CO2 seeped into lake
Ground under lake giving off CO2
Became a lake
28
Lake Nyos, Cameroon, West Africa
Cold water in lakes lower layer
CO2 unable to escape due to warmer
water above the cold lower layer
Super-saturated with CO2
29
Socrates
(399 BC)
30
Socrates
Convicted of corrupting
the youths of Athens
Encouraged
them to think
Socrates
31
Socrates
Sentenced to death
Poisoning
Hemlock plant extract
Hemlock plant
32
Socrates
Hemlock contains
various alkaloids
Coniine
Coniine
33
Socrates
Symptoms experienced after drinking hemlock
Numbness from feet upwards
Paralysis reached heart and lungs
Died
34
Augustus
35
Augustus
Augustus
Poisoned by Empress Livia
Refused to eat food
prepared for him
Suspected that Livia
wanted to poison him
36
Figs of Ficus carica
Only ate fruits
from his fig tree
Livia injected
poison into figs
Caesar poisoned
after eating fruits
Augustus
37
Lakhvinder
Cheema
38
2009
Lakhvir SinghLakhvinder Cheema
39
Cheema and his fiance
had leftover curry for dinner
2009
40
Became very ill
Called emergency services
2009
Food poisoning?
Actual poisoning
41
Sent to the hospital
Lakhvinder Cheema died soon after
His fiance survived
2009
Lakhvir Singh convicted
42
Questions
How had Lakhvir Singh done the poisoning?1
How did she get such a potent poison?2
43
Aconitum ferox
Native to the Himalayas
Used as a poison in India
Lakhvir Singh went to
India to obtain plant
44
Aconitum ferox
Went to Cheemas house
Poisoned his curry
Traces of plant found on her
Convicted
45
Aconitum ferox
Pseudaconitine
Shuts down the
nervous system
Contains a very complex alkaloid
Brain still working
46
William Congreve (1670 1729)
Hell hath no fury likea woman scorned
47
Accidental poisoning
Plants as a cause of poisoning
48
Blooming wild garlic
49
Accidental poisoning
Wild garlic leaves vs meadow saffron leaves
Wild garlic
Look very similar
Plants as a cause of poisoning
50
Accidental poisoning
Meadow saffron
Meadow saffron
is highly toxic
Colchicine
51
Accidental poisoning
Contains colchicine
Anti-cancer
Overdose
leads to death
52
Accidental poisoning
Wild garlic leaves vs meadow saffron leaves
Potato tubers
Potato plants
Plants as a cause of poisoning
53
Accidental poisoning
Potato fruits
Potato tuber is harmless
Potato fruits are toxic
54
Accidental poisoning
Oxalic acid
Potato fruits are toxic
Contains oxalic acid
Could have serious
effects in children
55
Accidental poisoning
Rhubarb
Rhubarb
Leaves are toxic
Stems are edible
56
Toxins
Natural substances produced
by living species (animals)
Attack biochemical systems
57
Box jellyfish
58
Black widow spider
59
Fugu fish
60
Fugu fish
Fugu fish poisoning
20 to 44 poisonings per year
Japanese delicacy
Tetrodotoxin poison
Concentrated in
internal organs
61
Fugu fish poisoning
Chefs undergo training on how
to remove toxic internal organs
Poisonings because of amateur chefs
7% fatality rate
62
Coastal Taipan
63
Cleopatra
Egyptian Queen
Cleopatra
64
Cleopatra
Affair with Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
65
Cleopatra
Mark Antony
Got together
with Mark Antony
Lost the Final War of
the Roman Republic
66
Cleopatra
Wanted to commit suicide
Tried out different means of suicide
Wanted to look nice after death
Snake poison
67
Asp
68
Biological poisons
Responsible for botulism
Clostridium botulinum
69
Botox
Paralyze muscles
Botox treatment
Injection in a
localized area
Does not paralyze
vital muscles
70
Biological poisons
Responsible for anthrax
Bacillus anthracis
Weaponized anthrax
available since WWII
71
Anthrax outbreak
During the 9/11 crisis
9/11 World Trade Centre attack
72
Anthrax outbreak
Anthrax letters
Bruce Ivins
73
Anthrax outbreak
Suspicion turned to Bruce Ivins
U.S. Army microbiologist
Had anthrax in his lab
Committed suicide
74
Poisons
Any substance which, if taken into or formedin the body, destroys life or impairs health.
75
Paracelsus
Paracelsus
First to think scientifically
about poisoning
Medicinal chemist
Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus
von Hohenheim (1493 1541)
76
Paracelsus
All substances are poisons, there is none which isnot a poison. The right dose differentiates a
poison from a remedy.
Even water
77
Lethal water
Water poisoning
Over 7 litres Lethal dose
78
KDND, Sacramento, California
Hold Your Wee For a Wii
See how much water people can drink
Winner wins Wii game station
79
KDND, Sacramento, California
Drank about 7.5 L of water
Went home, became
unwell and died
Jennifer StrangeFamily compensated
U.S. $16 million
80
KDND, Sacramento, California
Jennifer Strange placed second
I didnt know what was wrong with me. Ijust knew I had never felt so sick in my life.- Winner of contest, Lucy Davidson
81
Fox glove
82
Fox glove
Poisonous European wild plant
Contains digitalin
Potent heart muscle stimulant
Over-consumption leads to death
83
Digitalin
Also used clinically
Failing heart
Give controlled dose of digitalin
Heart beats properly
84
Dose-Response
Steepness of the curve
Variable
How to measure toxicity?
85
Measuring toxicity: LD50
Lethal dose for 50 percent
Amount of chemical required
to kill half of the test population
86
Measuring toxicity: LD50
How accurate is LD50?
Lethal dose for 50 percent
Amount of chemical required
to kill half of the test population
87
Accuracy of LD50
Vary according to administration of poison
Oral administration vs direct injection
1
88
Accuracy of LD50
Assume similar LD50 values for humans
Depend on species used for testing2
Typically mice or rats
Vary according to administration of poison1
89
Accuracy of LD50
GuidelinesHow accurate is LD50?
Lethal dose for 50 percent
Amount of chemical required
to kill half of the test population
90
Lethal doses
Measure dose
per unit bodyweight
Types of poisonLethal dose
(g / kg), mice
Sodium cyanide 10 000
Curare/
strychnine500
Tetrodotoxin 8 20
Cobra neurotoxin 0.3
Tetanus toxin 0.07
Botulism toxin 0.03
91
Factors affecting LD50
Size
Age
State of health
1
2
3
Larger doses for larger bodies (mg/kg)
Metabolism changes with age
Liver condition
92
Factors affecting LD50
History4 Build up and loss of tolerance
E.g. heroin addict
Keep increasing dose
Loses tolerance after a
long time without heroin
Tolerance
93
Factors affecting LD50
Paradoxical reactions5 Rare but known
E.g. anti-malarial medicine Lariam
Side effects Depression
94
Factors affecting LD50
Vanessa Brunt Went to South China
Took Lariam
Became very depressed
Committed suicide
95
What Paracelsus did not say
Poison must reach target organ
Absorption into the body
Build up to lethal levels before excretion2
1
96
Mercury
Swallow metallic mercury1
Glass mercury
thermometers
Does not absorb
into the body
97
Mercury
Swallow metallic mercury
Inject metallic mercury into bloodstream2
1
Ingest mercurous chloride (HgCl, calomel)3
Ingest mercuric chloride (HgCl2)4
More soluble in water, rapid absorption
98
Mercury
Swallow metallic mercury
Inject metallic mercury into bloodstream2
1
Ingest mercurous chloride (HgCl, calomel)3
Ingest mercuric chloride (HgCl2)4
Inhale mercury vapour5
99
Inhaling mercury vapour
Absorbed very rapidly
Go straight to bloodstream
100
King Charles II
Many hobbies
King Charles II
Lab accident
Interested in chemistry
Poisoned by
mercury vapor
101
Route of Administration
Must reach target organ to be effective
102
Route of Administration
Absorbed through digestive tract
Oral administration1
103
Route of Administration
Directly into bloodstream
Fast and efficient
Intravenous2
Oral administration1
104
Route of Administration
Rapidly from lungs to bloodInhalation3
Fast and efficient
Through mucus membranes4
Intravenous2
Oral administration1
In
105
Forensic Toxicology
Food, drink, air
Absorption &
desorption of gases
Detox
Deposited
in hair, nails
Processing &
absorption
Out
Feces, urine, sweat, exhaled air
106
Proteins are broken
down into peptides
Peptides broken down
into amino acids
Saccharides broken
down into sugars
What happens to your food?
107
Snake venom
Complex peptides
Drinking the venom?
Relatively safe
Milking snake venomPeptides converted
to amino acids
108
Forensic Toxicology
Enter bloodstream
after digestion
Liver = detox factory
Get past liver to go to the rest of the body
109
Forensic Toxicology
Enter bloodstream
after digestion
Liver = detox factory
Get past liver to go to the rest of the body
110
Forensic Toxicology
Blood flows past the
lungs to rest of body
Membrane around brain
Prevent molecules from going into brain
111
Xenobiotics
Strange molecules
Pharmaceuticals
Illegal drugs
Natural substances
Other substances
Nicotine, caffeine
Ethanol
112
Xenobiotics
Accumulation in body Lead or strontium
in bones
Excretion Arsenic or thallium
Transform
Deposited in hair or fingernails
Increase solubility
1
2
3 Excrete
113
Xenobiotics
Caffeine
114
Xenobiotics
Goes into bloodstream
Caffeine that is ingested
Coffee berries
Stimulates brain
115
Xenobiotics
Liver wants to remove caffeine Transform it
Caffeine
116
Alcohol
Most common poison
Controversial
Essential?
Or evil?
117
Alcohol
Show evils of alcohol
Gin
Gin consumption
was enormous
Gin Lane
118
Alcohol
Beer contains
less alcohol
Better than gin
Beer Street
119
Distribution of alcohol
What happens when someone drinks alcohol?
120
Distribution of alcohol
Distributed via the cardio-vascular system
Kind of drink
Rate of adsorption depends on
Stomach contents
121
Effect of alcohol
Depress ability to make judgments
Depress the Central Nervous System (CNS)
Depress inhibitions
Depress ability to react to situations
Depress reflex times
122
How much is too much (legally)?
Alcohol
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) after a drink?
Calculated from the amount
of alcohol consumed
1
2
123
How much is too much (legally)?
Persons weight (kg)Amount of alcohol
consumed (g)
Widmark factorc = a / pr
Men: r = 0.68
Women: r = 0.55
Max. conc. (g/ 1000 ml)
Usually converted to
mg / 100 ml of blood
124
If a man of 70 kg drinks a double whisky, what is the concentration of alcohol in his blood?
Scenario
Whisky = 43% alcohol A single = 25 cm3
Density of ethanol = 0.79 gcm3
Amount of alcohol consumed = 0.43 x 50 cm3 x 0.79 gcm3 = 17.0 g
1
3
2
125
Scenario
c = 36 mg per 100 ml of blood
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
126
Effect of alcohol
Effect of alcohol on the brain?
Vary according to amount of alcohol
127
Effect of alcohol
Blood alcohol
conc. (mg/100 ml)Effects
300Coma and anaesthesia, impaired circulation
and respiration, possible death
>450 Probable death due to respiratory paralysis
128
Elimination of alcohol
Alcohol present in nature
Biomechanism for eliminating alcohol from body
Fermentation of food
129
Elimination of alcohol
C5H5OH
Ethanol
CH3CHO
Acetaldehyde
CH3CO2H
Acetic acid
CO2Carbon dioxide
Alcohol dehydrogenase
(liver, small intestine)
Aldehyde
dehydrogenase
(liver)
130
Elimination of alcohol
95% - 98% of alcohol consumed end up as CO2
2% - 5% excreted by kidneys and lungs
131
Distribution of alcohol
Higher in arterial blood than in
veinous blood during absorption
Bones, fat, hair
Uniformly throughout the body
Except parts with low water content
132
Distribution of alcohol
Post-mortem
Same concentration as in the brain
Usually measure blood alcohol
Measure breath alcoholRoadside
Gas chromatography
Blood, urine, vitreous humor
133
Henrys Law
How is breath alcohol related to blood alcohol?
134
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
135
Breath alcohol
Measured at roadside using breathalyzers
Chromium chemistry
Breathalyzer
136
Breath alcohol
Amount of K2Cr2O7 converted to Cr2(SO4)3
2 Cr2(SO4)3
K2Cr2O7 3 C2H5OH 8 H2SO4
2 K2SO43 CH3COOH 11 H2O
Measure loss of absorbance at 420 nm
137
Blood Alcohol Curve
Blood alcohol levelat time of accident?
Car accident
One driver drives off
Caught hours later
138
Blood Alcohol Curve
Back calculate from timeof test to time of accident
Plot BAC against time
139
Blood Alcohol Curve
140
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 70mg per 100 ml. Was the driver over the limit?
Scenario
141
How fast peoples bodies eliminate alcohol
Scenario
Length of time between last drink and accident
is enough to assume that alcohol absorption
has ceased
Down slope of blood alcohol curve
142
Lowest elimination rate
Method 1
Ct = C0 t
= 12.5 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour
143
Method 1
Ct = C0 t
t = time elapsed
C0 = blood alcohol conc. at time of interest
Ct = blood alcohol conc. at time of measurement
= alcohol elimination rate
144
Method 1
C0 = Ct + t
C0 = 70 + 2(12.5) = 95 mg per 100 ml
Lowest elimination rate
Ct = C0 t
= 12.5 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour
145
Highest elimination rate
Ct = C0 t
= 25 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour
C0 = Ct + t
C0 = 70 + 2(25) = 120 mg per 100 ml
Conclusion: Man was above legal limit
Method 1
146
Lowest elimination rate
Method 2
2 hours at 12.5 mg per hour = 25 mg
12.5 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour
70 + 25 = 95 mg per 100 ml
Add that 25 mg to the 5 am measurement
147
Highest elimination rate
25 mg ethanol per 100 ml blood per hour
Method 2
2 hours at 25 mg per hour = 50 mg
70 + 50 = 120 mg per 100 ml
Add that 50 mg to the 5 am measurement
148
Both methods give same conclusion
Man was above legal limit
Methods 1 & 2
Alcohol generates most work for toxicologists
149
Inorganic poisons
Toxic elements
Elements may neither be
created nor destroyed
vs organic poisons
Robert Boyle
150
Inorganic poisons
Detectable after burial
Arsenic, antimony, mercury, thallium
Detectable after death
Detectable after cremation
151
Arsenic trioxide
Once readily and
legally available
Arsenic trioxide
Fowlers solution
152
Arsenic trioxide
Flypaper
Paper coated with glue
Arsenic added to glue
Flypaper
153
Arsenic trioxide
Trisenox
FDA (U.S.) approved for use in the
treatment of some kinds of leukemia
154
Arsenic trioxide
Inheritance powder
Very common poison in the Victorian era
155
Arsenic poisoning
confused with liver disease?
A lot of money in 1869
And adding arsenic?
Due to arsenic?To test for arsenic
Travelling court
To drug him?
156
Widespread use of arsenic in poisoning
Reliable method of testing for arsenic?
Arsenic trioxide
157
Marsh Test
Forensic use of
testing for arsenic
James Marsh
Developed by James Marsh
Now superseded by AAS
158
6 ZnAs2O3
6 ZnCl22 AsH3 3 H2O
12 HCl
Marsh Test
159
Marsh apparatus
160
Can confirm presence of arsenic
Can also estimate the amount of arsenic
Marsh Test
Only arsenic and antimony behave this way
Chemists are able to tell them apart
161
Marsh Test very effective and credible in court
Prosecution got better
Defense
Marsh Test
Styrian Defence
162
The Styrian Defence
Styrian peasants were
eating arsenic trioxide
Lethal dose
163
The Styrian Defence
How did they do it?
Slow release of As2O3?
1
Build up of tolerance?
164
The Styrian Defence
Women
Improve health?Why did they do it?2
Men
Blood vessels damaged
Improve complexion?
Improve sexual potency?
165
Florence
Maybrick
166
Florence & James Maybrick
167
Liverpool, 1889
Florence Maybrick
Charged with murdering her husband with arsenic
Tries the Styrian Defence
168
Liverpool, 1889
Prosecution
For use as a cosmetic face wash
Arsenic purchased and soaked from flypapers
Defense
169
Liverpool, 1889
Prosecution
Arsenic detected in James Maybricks body
Defense
Self-medication
170
Liverpool, 1889
Verdict: guilty
Sentenced to hang
Commuted to 15 years in prison
Died in 1941
171
Maine,
New England
2003
172
Maine, New England, 2003
Arsenic poisoning case concerning achurch and the church congregation
173
Maine, New England, 2003
27 April
28 April
Walter Morrill
died in hospital
Chemical tests run
2 dozen people fell sick
2 May
Daniel Bondeson
committed suicide
Had sandwiches & coffee Arsenic in brewed coffee
Arsenic in Morrills body & in surviving victims
174
Maine, New England, 2003
Conclusion
Daniel Bondeson added arsenic to the coffee during church service
175
Maine, New England, 2003
From an old agricultural chemical
Where was the arsenic from?
Motive? Church dispute?
Overdose?
176
Thallium
Formerly widely available
Rat poison
Rat poison
177
Lethal dose 12 mg / kg
Interferes with nervous system
Due to chemical similarity with potassium
Thallium
178
Characteristic symptom
Hair will fall out
Thallium
179
Graham Young
180
1962
Sent to Broadmoor
Psychiatric Hospital
Detained and treatedGraham Young
Murdered stepmother
when he was age 14
181
1971
Worked in a warehouse
Poisoned the tea
of his co-workersTea
Released from hospital
182
Used low doses of thallium or antimony
8 fell ill; 2 died
Bob Egle Cremated
Death triggered investigation
Graham Young
Fred Biggs
183
Bob Egle Cremated
Thallium present in ashes
Graham Young
Thallium cannot be destroyed
Graham Young convicted Life in prison
184
Shizuoka, Japan, 2006
She did not hold a grudge against her mother she just wanted to do an experiment.
Graham Youngs fans?
17 year old girl poisoned mother with thallium
185
Arsenic and thallium
Well known in toxicology
Poisoning
Other elements less well-known
Analysis is rarely done
186
Barium poisoning
Very uncommon
Few people have access to barium compounds
187
Poisoned her father with barium acetate
Father died
Marie Robards
No foul play suspectedMarie Robards
188
Went to University
Scene where Hamlets father was murdered
Marie Robards
Affected by it Confessed to a friend
Studied the play Hamlet
189
Victim exhumed
Marie Robards convicted
Investigation
Presence of barium in his body
Barium was stolen from school chemistry lab
190
Medical X-rays
Soft tissues do not show up on X-rays
Use of Barium
191
Barium meal
Contains Barium
X-ray after barium meal
Show up digestive system on X-rays
192
Why doesnt it poison the patient?
Barium sulphate is insoluble in water
Barium meal
Not absorbed by the body
Excreted
193
Discovered inGermany in 1938
Stockpiled by Hitler
Never used in WWII
Sarin
CH3P(O)(F)OCH(CH3)2
194
Used by Iraqi military against Kurdish villagers
Stops nervous system
March 1988
Aftermath of Halabja chemical attack
Causes death
195
Released Sarin gas in Matsumoto in June 1994
7 dead, 200 hospitalized
Aum Shinrikyo Cult
1995 Tokyo subway attack
12 dead, 1000 hospitalized
196
How do nerve agents work?
Interfere with biochemical mechanism
Neurotransmission
197
Granule cell with axon
198
Mechanism of action of Sarin
What if there is excess neurotransmitter?
Continued nerve stimulation
Twitching, convulsions, paralysis and death
Often starts with blindness
199
Mechanism of action of Sarin
When would there be excess neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitter concentration isregulated by acetyl cholinesterase
Converts acetyl choline to inactive choline
200
Mechanism of action of Sarin
Acetyl choline Choline
Acetyl
cholinesterase
Inactive
201
Mechanism of action of Sarin
Sarin is an acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Excess acetyl choline cannot be destroyed
Present in excess
202
Renegade soldiers stealschemical weapons
Injected himselfwith antidote
Hero exposed to nerve gas
The Rock
The Rock
203
Antidote to Sarin
Opposite effect of Sarin
Inhibits action of acetyl choline
Atropine
Atropine
204
Toxic if not taken as antidote
Inhibits action of neurotransmitter
LD50 (rat, oral) 500 mg / kg
Atropine
205
Natural compound from Atropa belladonna
Atropa belladonna
Atropine
206
Atropine dilates the pupils
Beautiful
Used in optometry
Atropine
Atropa belladonna
207
Poisoning
Less common nowadays
Difficult to obtain poisons
Chemistry professors can obtain poisons easily
208
Paul Agutter
209
Paul Agutter
Convicted of poisoning his wife with atropine
Atropine from his research lab
Paul Agutter
210
Paul Agutter
How did he do it?
Added atropine tohis wifes gin & tonic
Gin & Tonic
211
Paul Agutter
Added atropine to the tonic water at local supermarket
Tried to mislead investigators
212
Paul Agutter
Found out by the police
Wife survived
Convicted of attempted murder
Lesser atropine added to tonic bottles than to his wifes drink
213
Georgi Markov
214
Georgi Markov
Bulgarian Dissident
Defected to Britain in 1971
Worked for BBC World Service
Georgi Markov
215
Thursday, 7 Sept 1979
Jabbed in the leg by anumbrella on Waterloo Bridge
Died on Monday
Admitted to hospital the next day
216
Autopsy results
Puncture wound
Found a tiny metallic sphere
Tissue sent to Porton Down
217
SEM-EDX results
90% platinum, 10% iridium
Sphere was hollow
SEM-EDX of sphere
Enough space for 2 mg of poison
218
Poison used
Complex polypeptide
Isolated from castor oil plant
Castor oil plant
Ricin
219
Umbrella
Pellet gun
Also used on Vladmir Kostov (Paris, 1978)
220
Umbrella
Markov: injected pellet close to blood vessel
Kostov: injected pellet close to muscle tissue
Ricin absorbed rapidly
Slow absorbance of ricin
221
Question
Was Georgi Markov murdered by the Bulgarian Secret Service?
Likely
222
Alexander
Litvinenko
223
Alexander Litvinenko
KGB then FSB officer
1998
2000
2006
Serious critic of Russian government
Asylum in London
Became very ill and died in hospital
224
Alexander Litvinenko
Hair loss
Alexander Litvinenko
after being poisoned
No thallium detected
Poisoned with Polonium-210
Thallium poisoning?
225
Polonium
Occurs in trace amounts
Radioactive
Manufactured in nuclear reactors
Russia
226
Polonium
Contained 210Po is not very dangerous
If ingested
Radiation poison
No barrier between radioactiveatoms and biochemical molecules
227
Radiation
Energy given out ishighly characteristic
210Po found at over 30 locations in London
Tracked to two British Airways planes
228
Summary
Different types of poisons and their effects
Measuring toxicity using LD50
Importance of routes of administration
1
3
4
Modes of actions of different poisons2
229
Summary
Alcohol
Actions of arsenic, thallium, sarin, atropine
6
8
Paracelsus7
Xenobiotics5