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> Less than 0.1 mL is capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning resulting in death Holy hell. I would've have believed it was possible for a non-biological

> Less than 0.1 mL is capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning resulting in death Holy hell. I would've have believed it was possible for a non-biological substance to be so toxic.

gus_massa 16d ago
The density of Dimethyl Mercury is almost 3g/ml, so 0.1 mL is like 300 mg. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide_poisoning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide_poisoning > A fatal dose for humans is on average 1.52 mg/kg of body weight Assuming 80kg(175pounds), that's like 120mg of Cyanide. There is probably even more nasty stuff.
- lstodd 16d ago
  well, easily. any organophosphorus stuff for example.
  - jackyinger 16d ago
    Actually organophosphates are not that lethal. See the LD50 of this example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malathion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malathion You may also be thinking of phosgene, which actually contains no phosphorous at all. But it is extremely toxic see the LC50: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosgene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosgene
    - chorsestudios 16d ago
      This is not true, and choosing the LD50 of Melathion to represent organophosphates as a whole seems odd. He was probably thinking of nerve agents or perhaps pesticides. Take a look at the LD50's of the former. These are among the nastiest, most lethal substances known to man.
      - ethanj8011 15d ago
        Yes. See for example any number of nerve agents such as VX. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VX_(nerve_agent) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VX_(nerve_agent). Yes, you can quibble over whether they count as "phosphates" given they often have fluoryl or other substituents, but the class is generally referred to as organophosphates, and they certainly have phosphorous in them. Malathion, is also an organophosphate which acts via the same pathway, but only in insects.
kurthr 16d ago
If you're worried about >100mg (0.1ml) then, don't think about the dosages people use for botox! It's 1x,2x,3x 80picograms per injection. I guess it's a biological product, but it's certainly not "living". Then there's carfentanil and similar which are deadly only at much higher 100 microgram levels.
ac29 16d ago
the methyl groups make it organic chemistry (and dangerous), elemental mercury is fairly safe
- atmavatar 16d ago
  There was a time not so long ago when it was common for chemistry teachers to show off pools of mercury in their bare hands. By the time I first took chemistry classes, though, that practice had stopped, less out of concern of exposure to liquid mercury and more for accidental exposure to gaseous forms due to spills.
  - hilbert42 16d ago
    When I was in highschool in the 1960s mercury in the chemistry lab was commonplace. One way to familiarize students with mercury was to have several liters of it in a wide open-top jar and have them force their fist through the mercury pool to the bottom of the jar. In fact, forcing one's hand through mercury between six to eight inches deep is not easy, some kids found it too difficult to do. I'd describe my hand as feeling very squeezed and it being forced upwards to the surface with considerable force. The experience was certainly unforgettable. There were some safety protocols: good ventilation (to minimize Hg vapor) and afterwards hands had to be thoroughly scrubbed with soap and water.

> Less than 0.1 mL is capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning resulting in death Holy hell. I would've have believed it was possible for a non-biological substance to be so toxic.

gus_massa 16d ago

The density of Dimethyl Mercury is almost 3g/ml, so 0.1 mL is like 300 mg. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide_poisoning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide_poisoning > A fatal dose for humans is on average 1.52 mg/kg of body weight Assuming 80kg(175pounds), that's like 120mg of Cyanide. There is probably even more nasty stuff.

lstodd 16d ago
well, easily. any organophosphorus stuff for example.
- jackyinger 16d ago
  Actually organophosphates are not that lethal. See the LD50 of this example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malathion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malathion You may also be thinking of phosgene, which actually contains no phosphorous at all. But it is extremely toxic see the LC50: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosgene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosgene
  - chorsestudios 16d ago
    This is not true, and choosing the LD50 of Melathion to represent organophosphates as a whole seems odd. He was probably thinking of nerve agents or perhaps pesticides. Take a look at the LD50's of the former. These are among the nastiest, most lethal substances known to man.
    - ethanj8011 15d ago
      Yes. See for example any number of nerve agents such as VX. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VX_(nerve_agent) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VX_(nerve_agent). Yes, you can quibble over whether they count as "phosphates" given they often have fluoryl or other substituents, but the class is generally referred to as organophosphates, and they certainly have phosphorous in them. Malathion, is also an organophosphate which acts via the same pathway, but only in insects.

kurthr 16d ago

If you're worried about >100mg (0.1ml) then, don't think about the dosages people use for botox! It's 1x,2x,3x 80picograms per injection. I guess it's a biological product, but it's certainly not "living". Then there's carfentanil and similar which are deadly only at much higher 100 microgram levels.

ac29 16d ago

the methyl groups make it organic chemistry (and dangerous), elemental mercury is fairly safe

atmavatar 16d ago
There was a time not so long ago when it was common for chemistry teachers to show off pools of mercury in their bare hands. By the time I first took chemistry classes, though, that practice had stopped, less out of concern of exposure to liquid mercury and more for accidental exposure to gaseous forms due to spills.
- hilbert42 16d ago
  When I was in highschool in the 1960s mercury in the chemistry lab was commonplace. One way to familiarize students with mercury was to have several liters of it in a wide open-top jar and have them force their fist through the mercury pool to the bottom of the jar. In fact, forcing one's hand through mercury between six to eight inches deep is not easy, some kids found it too difficult to do. I'd describe my hand as feeling very squeezed and it being forced upwards to the surface with considerable force. The experience was certainly unforgettable. There were some safety protocols: good ventilation (to minimize Hg vapor) and afterwards hands had to be thoroughly scrubbed with soap and water.