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Ricin (/ ˈ r aɪ s ɪ n / RY-sin) is a lectin (a carbohydrate-binding protein) and a highly potent toxin produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant, Ricinus communis.The median lethal dose (LD 50) of ricin for mice is around 22 micrograms per kilogram of body weight via intraperitoneal injection.
The Wood Green ricin plot was an alleged bioterrorism plot to attack the London Underground with ricin poison. The Metropolitan Police Service arrested six suspects on 5 January 2003, [1] [2] with one more arrested two days later.
During the raid on the homes of a man and son in June 2009, a very small amount of ricin was allegedly found in a sealed jam jar kept in a kitchen cupboard. A father and son, Ian and Nicky Davison were arrested under the 2000 Terrorism Act. The arrests followed a long-running intelligence-led operation against extreme right-wing activity. [27]
Ricinus communis, the castor bean [1] or castor oil plant, [2] is a species of perennial flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.It is the sole species in the monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae.
It can serve as a biomarker of ricin poisoning. [3] [4] It was first isolated from the castor seeds by Tuson in 1864. [5] [6] Ricinine has insecticidal effects. [7] It sublimes between 170 and 180 °C at 20 mmHg. It does not form salts, and is precipitated in iodine or mercuric chloride solutions, but not in Mayer's reagent. [5]
On April 17, 2013, an envelope addressed to President of the United States Barack Obama preliminarily tested positive for ricin. [4] Both letters, which were mailed from Memphis, Tennessee, [5] included the phrases "No one wanted to listen to me before. There are still 'Missing Pieces.' Maybe I have your attention now even if that means someone ...
Is the density of ricin so low that a pinhead-sized amount (I assume on the order of 10^-9 m^3) weighs only 0.5 mg? Or does this refer to a different delivery mechanism than injection or inhalation? "Ricin is 6 billion times more toxic than cyanide and 12 billion times more poisonous than rattlesnake venom by weight." This seems very unlikely.
Ricin is a white powder that can be produced as a liquid or a crystal. [1] Ricin is an extremely toxic plant protein that can cause severe allergic reactions, and exposure to small quantities can be fatal. [1] The toxin inhibits the formation of proteins within cells of exposed people. [1]