ORGANISATION FOR THE PROHIBITION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS Working Together for a World Free of Chemical Weapons Biological Toxins and their Relative Toxicity What are Toxins? Toxins are toxic substances produced by animals, plants or microbes. They are classied by their source and mechanism of action (neurotoxic or cytotoxic). Neurotoxins aect neurons and are further classied based on the Aatoxin B mechanism by which they create their toxic eect; the subclasses are presynaptic 1 neurotoxins, postsynaptic neurotoxins, ion channel-binding toxins and ionophores. Cytotoxins aect all cell types in the body, causing cellular destruction or interfering LD : 2000000 ng/kg 50 Molecular weight: 312.8 g/mol with metabolic processes such as cell respiration and protein synthesis. Source: Aspergillus avus Ricin Examples of toxins from fungus T-2 Toxin LD50: 3000 ng/kg Molecular weight: 64,000 g/mol Examples of toxins from plants Source: Castor Bean LD50: 1210000 ng/kg Ricinus communis Molecular weight: 466 g/mol Source: Fungal Mycotoxin Aconitine Fusarium Taipoxin LD : 100000 ng/kg VX Agent 50 Molecular weight: 1647 g/mol Abrin Source: Monkshood Aconitum LD : 5000 ng/kg Batrachotoxin 50 Molecular weight: 46,000 g/mol αTityustoxin Source: Elapid Snake Tetrodotoxin Oxyuranus scutellatus LD50: 15000 ng/kg Molecular weight: 267.36 g/mol LD50: 40 ng/kg Molecular weight: 65,000 g/mol Source: Rosary Pea Soman (GD) LD : 2000 ng/kg Conotoxin 50 LD Examples of toxins Molecular weight 50: 8000 ng/kg : 539 g/mol LD50: 9000 ng/kg Source: Poison Dart Frog Molecular weight: 319 g/mol Molecular weight: 8,000 g/mol from insects & animals Source: Puer Fish Source: Scorpion Tetraodontidae Tityinae Sarin (GB) LD50: 64000 ng/kg LD50: 5000 ng/kg Molecular weight: 182.18 g/mol Molecular weight: 1,500 g/mol Source: Cone Snail Conus pennaceus LD50: 100000 ng/kg Maitotoxin Palytoxin Ciguatoxin Molecular weight: 140.09 g/mol Microcystin Saxitoxin LD : 100 ng/kg 50 LD : 150 ng/kg LD50: 400 ng/kg Molecular weight 50 Molecular weight : 3,400 g/mol Molecular weight: 2,700 g/mol : 1,000 g/mol LD : 50000 ng/kg Source: Marine Dinoagellate Source: Fish/Marine Dinoagellate 50 Tetanus Toxins Source: Marine Soft Coral Molecular weight: 994 g/mol Gambierdiscus toxicus Gymnothorax javanicus Palythoa toxica LD : 10000 ng/kg Source: Blue-Green Algae 50 Examples of Examples of toxins from cyanobacteria Molecular weight: 299 g/mol Microcystis aeruginosa Source: Marine Dinoagellate Nerve Agents Ceratium furca (For Reference) LD50: 2 ng/kg Botulinum Toxin Molecular weight: 150,000 g/mol Anatoxin-A(s) Source: Bacterium Clostridium tetani Diphtheria Toxin C. perfringens toxins LD50: 50000 ng/kg LD50: 1 ng/kg Shiga Toxin LD : 100 ng/kg Molecular weight Molecular weight: 150,000 g/mol 50 : 252 g/mol Molecular weight: 62,000 g/mol Source: Blue-Green Algae Source: Clostridium botulinum LD : 310 ng/kg Source: Corynebacterium 50 Anabaena flos-aquae diphtheriae Molecular weight: 40,000 g/mol Source: Clostridium perfringens SEB (Rhesus/Aerosol) Examples of other bacterial toxins References 1. David R. Franz, DVM, Defense Against Toxin Weapons, Veterinary Corps, United States Army (1997). LD50: 2 ng/kg Molecular weight: 55,000 g/mol 2. Chastain, James R., A heuristic methodology for locating monitoring stations to detect contamination Source: Shigella dysenteriae events in portable water distribution systems (2004). 3. Maria Taciana Holanda Cavalcanti, Tatiana Porto, Ana Lúcia Figueiredo Porto, Igor Viana Brandi, José Luiz LD : 27000 ng/kg de Lima Filho, Adalberto Pessoa Junior, Large scale purication of Clostridium perfringens toxins: a 50 review, Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (2004). Molecular weight: 28,494 g/mol Most Toxic Source: Staphylococcus aureus Least Toxic Comparative Toxicity (Median Lethal Dose, LD 50 in ng/kg) of Selected Toxins And Chemical Agents In Laboratory Mice Decreasing toxicity @opcw /opcwonline @opcw_st /opcwonline /company/opcw /opcw.