Friday 22 September 2023

BOTULINUM TOXIN - THE MOST DANGEROUS CHEMICAL

 Botulinum toxin

Produced by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. This toxin is so potent that it can kill a human with a dose of only 1 nanogram per kilogram of body weight.

That means that a speck of dust containing this toxin could be lethal if inhaled or ingested.

Botulinum toxin works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles, causing paralysis and respiratory failure.

It is used in tiny amounts for cosmetic purposes (such as Botox injections), but also has potential applications as a bioweapon.

Chlorine trifluoride

A synthetic compound that was developed by Nazi scientists during World War II as a rocket fuel.

This thing is so reactive that it can ignite almost any material on contact, including glass, sand, asbestos, concrete, and even water.

It can also corrode metals and burn through human flesh and bones.

Chlorine trifluoride is so dangerous that it is rarely handled or stored, and only used for specialized purposes such as semiconductor manufacturing.

Batrachotoxin

A natural compound that is found in the skin of some poison-dart frogs.

This compound is so toxic that it can kill a human with a dose of only 136 micrograms per kilogram of body weight.

That means that a few grains of salt containing this toxin could be fatal if touched or ingested.

Batrachotoxin works by altering the sodium channels in nerve cells, causing uncontrollable muscle contractions and cardiac arrest.

It is used by some indigenous people in South America to coat their arrows for hunting.

Now, there are many other chemicals that could be considered as candidates for the most dangerous chemical ever created, such as dimethyl cadmium, azidoazide azide, fluoroantimonic acid, ricin, VX, polonium-2010, and so on.

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