Green Chemistry and the Ten Commandments

Chap. 13. Terrorism, Toxicity, and Vulnerability 333

10 -^510 -^410 -^310 -^210 -^1110102103104105

Parathion

Tetrodotoxin

Botulinus   toxin

Nicotine

10 -^6

Sarin

Lethal  dose,   milligrams/kilogram body    mass

If  this    area    represents  a

fatal   dose    of  parathion,

the area    of  the circle  below

represents  a   fatal   dose    of  Sarin

Malathion

Ethanol

Figure 13.2. Relative toxicities of various substances in units of milligrams dose per kilogram of body
mass required to kill 50% of test subjects (LD 50 ). Also shown are the relative toxicities of parathion, a
once commonly used insecticide that has been discontinued because of its toxicity to humans, and Sarin,
an extremely toxic military poison.