What makes ricin (the supposed Irvine, Ca poison agent) such a potent poison ?

Madsci Network ^ | Michael Onken

[oioiman]

Osborn Scientific Reports Bio-Terrorism Detected by Pregnancy-Like Test

A new rapid test (similar to an over-the-counter pregnancy test) developed by the Osborn Scientific Group (OSG) in Lakeside will enable first response units -- including fire departments, police departments, haz mat teams, emergency room, and EMT personnel -- to readily detect the presence of Ricin, a very deadly toxin known to be produced and purified from castor beans by certain Middle Eastern countries sponsoring terrorist activities.

The new test, appropriately named the BIO-911(TM) One-Step Ricin Test Strip, allows first response units to detect the presence of minute quantities of the toxin (less than 50 nanograms) within minutes, thereby alerting first response units to the potential danger, which could save lives.

Due to recent terrorist attacks on the United States, OSG has decided to ramp up production of these tests from its FDA registered facility, which should become widely available within the next few weeks. Additional tests for anthrax, botulism toxin, black plague, and smallpox are under development.

The Osborn Scientific Group is developing other rapid bio-terrorism detection tests as a part of its B.A.A.D. (Biologic Agent Detection Devices) Box, a complete bio-terrorism kit being developed for first response units worldwide. While OSG will not release the contents of the B.A.A.D. Box, however, it is sure to include tests for anthrax and botulism toxin.

Dr. Bohannon, OSG's chief scientific officer, was a project officer for the U.S. Army's development of ultra-sensitive methods to quickly detect BW agents and was recently awarded a U.S. patent for his work in the field.

OSG, a privately held company, is a manufacturer of rapid diagnostic tests that detect antibodies to HIV, HCV, H. pylori, syphilis and tuberculosis.

[Rodney King]

If terrorists actually maufactured this stuff, then it is further proof that we should tell all non-citizens from moslem countries to pack-up and go home. Only in America can a Terrorist walk in, take chemistry classes, get a job at a lab, buy lab equipment, make the stuff at home, and release it.

[hispanarepublicana]

castor oil plant

If anyone ever tried to grow castor beans in cattle country, they'd get lynched. The ricin in the plant is so toxic, you could kill whole herds if it grew uncontrolled.

[dep]

an interesting animation of the potential terrorist use of ricin is here: http://library.thinkquest.org/21659/experiment/ricin.html?tqskip=1

dep

[spald]

cellular wall disruptor?

[SoCal Pubbie]

I used to work in Irvine. The town's about ten minutes away!

[janus]

I remember back in the late sixties or early seventies when the Czech intelligence used this to kill a guy who was broadcasting from the UK. They had it in the tip of an umbrella and they jabbed him behind the knee, and he didn't seem to feel it.

[Soul Citizen]

By what means would it be used to affect a population?

[nomad]

I once heard of a Communist defector who was killed by a device which shot a tiny metal ball filled with a deadly poison, (was it ricin?) which was hidden in an umbrella.

[oioiman]

Huge Bump

[oioiman]

Poison Umbrellas

KILLING IN THE RAIN

Apartheid South Africa's "toy" makers could hardly be given credit for their ingenuity in designing a range of unconventional murder weapons.

Former death squad operative Trevor Floyd told the Pretoria High Court he had read about a deadly KGB manufactured umbrella used in the the murder of Bulgarian dissident and radio broadcaster Georgi Markov in London in 1978.

South African operatives thought the device was an excellent idea, going so far as to purchase an umbrella in Europe for the task of murdering ANC officials Pallo Jordan and Ronnie Kasrils, now Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry. At the time both men were living in exile in the United Kingdom.

After it had been modified, an agent gave it to Floyd during a clandestine meeting on a London train.

Floyd never got to use it and dumped it into the River Thames.

[VOA]

What makes ricin (the supposed Irvine, Ca poison agent) such a potent poison ?

Long time since I've read about ricin...but I think the reason for the incredible potency
is that it just takes ONE molecule of the ricin to kill ONE cell in the body of the
unfortunate victim.

I don't know the actual mode of death, depending on the method of administration...
but I suspect that if inhaled of injected, it takes very little carried by the
bloodstream to shut down the heart.

In addition to the famous killing of an expatriate Eastern European by ricin
during the Cold War, I think I read about one laboratory worker being found slumped
over dead in front of the laboratory scales...killed by not being careful enough when
weighing out a sample of ricin.
(don't know if that was a true story...if it was, it's illustrative of how nasty the stuff is)

[Doctor Stochastic]

The Bulgarian secret police, actually, were the culprits.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Ricin (according to the FBI) has been stockpiled by right-wing terrorists in the US. It's not favored (so far) by the left.

It's a bit hard to manage. How does one prepare or carry it? Just carrying the stuff puts the courier at more risk than the intended victim (barring the use of umbrellas.)

[MrFred]

doing a google image search on ricin comes up with the following two photos

and
Not sure which is scarier.

[MissAmericanPie]

I still say the lab in Boston should be investigated. Ben Ladens family owns 1/16th of it, add that percentage of stock to what ever is owned by another Arab friend of theirs and it could lead to terrorists being hired to work there as lab techs.

[blam]

I think I remember reading that some guy crossing from the Canadian side of the border was caught with some ricin. (out west)

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Odds are it was imported. We only inspect 2% of all containers entering the U.S. at our ports. Further, we inspect even less of the over the road rigs. So if we can import millions of tons of coke, dope, etc. 20-50 kg of Ricin or another toxic agent would be a piece of cake for a party intending to do our nation harm.

GLASS 'EM

once the responsible nations are found...

[RoseyT]

Scary stuff. RICIN TOXIN FROM CASTOR BEAN PLANT