When it comes to deadly poisons, many people first think of cyanide and arsenic. This is not surprising, because cyanide is dangerous because it disrupts the body's ability to use oxygen – this quickly leads to death. Arsenic, in turn, disrupts the metabolism of cells and affects the nervous system, which also leads to rapid death. But did you know that there are chemicals in the world that are hundreds of times more toxic than cyanide and arsenic? For example, one type of bacteria produces a poison, two kilograms of which can destroy all of humanity.
Deadly poison can be found even in ordinary canned food. Source: stock.adobe.com
Contents
- 1 How toxicity is assessed
- 2 The deadliest poison in the world
- 3 Bacteria that cause botulism
- 4 Poisoning with the most powerful poison
How toxicity is assessed
Before announcing the name of the most dangerous poison in the world, it is worth finding out how the toxicity of substances is assessed. To determine the toxicity of each substance, scientists use the LD50 indicator. This designation refers to the dose that leads to the death of 50% of laboratory animals. The LD50 value is expressed in milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg).
LD50 is an indicator of the toxicity of a substance. Source: wallpapers.99px.ru
For example, table salt has an LD50 of 3,000 milligrams per kilogram. This means that the lethal dose of salt for a 70-kilogram adult is approximately 210,000 milligrams or 210 grams. When large amounts of salt are ingested, a person suffers from dehydration, high blood pressure, confusion, and other severe symptoms. Salt poisoning can ultimately lead to death.
The LD50 of caffeine is 192 milligrams per kilogram. This means that for a 70-kilogram person, the lethal dose of coffee is 13 grams.
Coffee is more dangerous to life than table salt. Source: involta.media
The lower the LD50 value, the more toxic the substance is considered. Based on this, it turns out that caffeine is more toxic than table salt, because even a small concentration can lead to serious health problems for humans.
Read also: The most poisonous mushroom in the world – where it grows and how it affects people
The deadliest poison in the world
The most toxic substance in the world is considered to be botulinum toxin, which is also known as botulism toxin. Its LD50 level is 1 nanogram per kilogram, meaning that an adult can die from even 0.00007 milligrams of this substance. And 2 kilograms of botulinum toxin can destroy all of humanity – according to data for 2024, there are more than 8 billion of us on Earth.
Botulinum toxin secreted by bacteria causes terrible ailments in humans. Source: fineartamerica.com
However, the lethality of botulism toxin depends on how deeply it penetrates the body. For example, the degree of its danger varies depending on whether the poison enters the digestive system or the bloodstream. Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin, meaning it destroys the nervous system of humans and animals. One molecule of this poison destroys one neuron.
Bacteria that cause botulism
The most deadly poison is produced by bacteria of the Clostridium botulinum species. Science learned about them in 1895, they were discovered by the Belgian microbiologist Emile van Ermengem. But fatal cases involving these bacteria occurred much earlier. For example, in 1793, more than ten people were poisoned after eating smoked blood sausage, and six of them died.
Botulism can be hidden in low-quality canned food. Source: sanglub.vitebsk.by
Bacteria that secrete botulinum toxin are found in soil and water. They become dangerous in conditions without oxygen, where they actively multiply and secrete a toxic substance. The deadly poison can enter the human body when consuming canned food that was not manufactured in accordance with safety regulations.
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Poisoning with the most powerful poison
Botulinum toxin poisoning is accompanied by symptoms associated with damage to the nervous system. First of all, a person's speech is impaired, and then dizziness and weakness occur. Botulinum toxin can also lead to paralysis of the limbs and respiratory failure. If a person does not receive timely medical care, he or she may die.
Children under 6 years of age can be especially severely affected by botulism. The fact is that their bodies are not ready to encounter such a strong poison. To avoid poisoning, small children are not given thermally unprocessed food. For this reason, by the way, it is not recommended for children under one year of age to try bee honey.
Surprisingly, botulism and Botox have a lot in common. Source: genesisderm.com
Sometimes botulinum toxin enters the body through open wounds. But such cases are rare, and mainly occur with people who are addicted to hard drugs. Sometimes the poisonous substance enters the body through the respiratory tract, but this also happens extremely rarely.
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Finally, it is worth noting that cosmetic Botox is a drug made from diluted botulinum toxin type A. It was noted above that this poison causes paralysis, that is, it relaxes the muscles. Cosmetologists saw this as a way to smooth out wrinkles, so they use Botox injections to rejuvenate the face and other parts of the body. But if people knew what Botox is made of, there would probably be far fewer people willing to use this service.