Is there any chemical more toxic than Dimethylmercury to humans?
Dimethylmercury certainly rates highly, particularly because of its vapors and the fact that it passes through all common laboratory gloves. But in terms of intrinsic toxicity, there are more powerful chemicals out there. The most toxic chemical known is botulinum toxin; a protein produced by bacteria. It can easily kill an adult male at doses of 0.5 micrograms. The most toxic non-protein known is a large molecule produced by single celled organisms called maitotoxin. It’s can kill an adult male in doses of about 4.3 micrograms. These are both very rare toxins though and are very rarely encountered. Common simple laboratory chamicals which are very toxic are methylating agents. These can attack DNA and cause cancer as well as general toxicity. Examples are dimethyl sulphate and the banned compound “magic methyl”. There are others which are more intrinsically toxic, but these are particularly nasty because they vaporrise easily and can be breathed in. Hydrofluoric acid is another extrem
