Need a suitable toxic chemical for a murder plot in my novel Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern) The network's official Twitter account is up and running again. What content…What could be a chemical cause for insomnia?What's a macroscopic chemical unit as a scale for alien communication?How does my critter communicate across the liquid/air barrier?New armour development for hard sci-fi novelAre there any structural materials suitable for production underwater?A cure, a vaccine, and one tricky diseaseHow to justify the need for human fighter pilots in a future human soceityChemical process for a radiosynthetic Ganymedian organism?Need to check for screenplay (Aziroazide azide)Ultrapowerful chemical propellant for guns

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Need a suitable toxic chemical for a murder plot in my novel



Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)
The network's official Twitter account is up and running again. What content…What could be a chemical cause for insomnia?What's a macroscopic chemical unit as a scale for alien communication?How does my critter communicate across the liquid/air barrier?New armour development for hard sci-fi novelAre there any structural materials suitable for production underwater?A cure, a vaccine, and one tricky diseaseHow to justify the need for human fighter pilots in a future human soceityChemical process for a radiosynthetic Ganymedian organism?Need to check for screenplay (Aziroazide azide)Ultrapowerful chemical propellant for guns










1












$begingroup$


I need ideas for a chemical or disease which kills the victim upon holding it in the palm for about 4 or 5 seconds. The death isn't necessarily immediate, as it might take days to kill the victim in the case of an incurable disease.



If the substance can't kill the victim, at least it should cause permanent damage to the heart, nervous system, or brain. An overall skin disfigurement or damage to any other vital organs will be okay!



Something mixed in DMSO?



The specific chemical or disease should be somewhat easy to acquire with some effort for a common man because it must sound obvious for the readers.



Don't suggest nerve agents or Anthrax please. Because they are inaccessible for a common man.










share|improve this question









New contributor




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  • 2




    $begingroup$
    I think anything that can kill by 5-seconds contact with bare skin is inacessible to common people.
    $endgroup$
    – Renan
    3 hours ago











  • $begingroup$
    @Renan a permanent damage to any vital organ must be enough.
    $endgroup$
    – user63214
    3 hours ago






  • 3




    $begingroup$
    When questions like this are posted I always worry someone is trying to kill someone in real life.
    $endgroup$
    – Willk
    2 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. I'm not sure why people are voting to close your question (real-world questions are permitted and this is an application of tech, which is one of our strengths). However, you might be asking for something that doesn't exist. A toxin that kills by limited touch but is accessible to common people is unbelievable. Such a toxin would be a controlled substance.
    $endgroup$
    – JBH
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Presumably everybody in the world could kill anyone at any time, at what age are children given access to this household asassination weapon?
    $endgroup$
    – Agrajag
    2 hours ago















1












$begingroup$


I need ideas for a chemical or disease which kills the victim upon holding it in the palm for about 4 or 5 seconds. The death isn't necessarily immediate, as it might take days to kill the victim in the case of an incurable disease.



If the substance can't kill the victim, at least it should cause permanent damage to the heart, nervous system, or brain. An overall skin disfigurement or damage to any other vital organs will be okay!



Something mixed in DMSO?



The specific chemical or disease should be somewhat easy to acquire with some effort for a common man because it must sound obvious for the readers.



Don't suggest nerve agents or Anthrax please. Because they are inaccessible for a common man.










share|improve this question









New contributor




user63214 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$







  • 2




    $begingroup$
    I think anything that can kill by 5-seconds contact with bare skin is inacessible to common people.
    $endgroup$
    – Renan
    3 hours ago











  • $begingroup$
    @Renan a permanent damage to any vital organ must be enough.
    $endgroup$
    – user63214
    3 hours ago






  • 3




    $begingroup$
    When questions like this are posted I always worry someone is trying to kill someone in real life.
    $endgroup$
    – Willk
    2 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. I'm not sure why people are voting to close your question (real-world questions are permitted and this is an application of tech, which is one of our strengths). However, you might be asking for something that doesn't exist. A toxin that kills by limited touch but is accessible to common people is unbelievable. Such a toxin would be a controlled substance.
    $endgroup$
    – JBH
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Presumably everybody in the world could kill anyone at any time, at what age are children given access to this household asassination weapon?
    $endgroup$
    – Agrajag
    2 hours ago













1












1








1





$begingroup$


I need ideas for a chemical or disease which kills the victim upon holding it in the palm for about 4 or 5 seconds. The death isn't necessarily immediate, as it might take days to kill the victim in the case of an incurable disease.



If the substance can't kill the victim, at least it should cause permanent damage to the heart, nervous system, or brain. An overall skin disfigurement or damage to any other vital organs will be okay!



Something mixed in DMSO?



The specific chemical or disease should be somewhat easy to acquire with some effort for a common man because it must sound obvious for the readers.



Don't suggest nerve agents or Anthrax please. Because they are inaccessible for a common man.










share|improve this question









New contributor




user63214 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$




I need ideas for a chemical or disease which kills the victim upon holding it in the palm for about 4 or 5 seconds. The death isn't necessarily immediate, as it might take days to kill the victim in the case of an incurable disease.



If the substance can't kill the victim, at least it should cause permanent damage to the heart, nervous system, or brain. An overall skin disfigurement or damage to any other vital organs will be okay!



Something mixed in DMSO?



The specific chemical or disease should be somewhat easy to acquire with some effort for a common man because it must sound obvious for the readers.



Don't suggest nerve agents or Anthrax please. Because they are inaccessible for a common man.







science-fiction chemistry biochemistry medicine poisons






share|improve this question









New contributor




user63214 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




user63214 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 1 hour ago









Cyn

11.4k12455




11.4k12455






New contributor




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asked 3 hours ago









user63214user63214

92




92




New contributor




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New contributor





user63214 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






user63214 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







  • 2




    $begingroup$
    I think anything that can kill by 5-seconds contact with bare skin is inacessible to common people.
    $endgroup$
    – Renan
    3 hours ago











  • $begingroup$
    @Renan a permanent damage to any vital organ must be enough.
    $endgroup$
    – user63214
    3 hours ago






  • 3




    $begingroup$
    When questions like this are posted I always worry someone is trying to kill someone in real life.
    $endgroup$
    – Willk
    2 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. I'm not sure why people are voting to close your question (real-world questions are permitted and this is an application of tech, which is one of our strengths). However, you might be asking for something that doesn't exist. A toxin that kills by limited touch but is accessible to common people is unbelievable. Such a toxin would be a controlled substance.
    $endgroup$
    – JBH
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Presumably everybody in the world could kill anyone at any time, at what age are children given access to this household asassination weapon?
    $endgroup$
    – Agrajag
    2 hours ago












  • 2




    $begingroup$
    I think anything that can kill by 5-seconds contact with bare skin is inacessible to common people.
    $endgroup$
    – Renan
    3 hours ago











  • $begingroup$
    @Renan a permanent damage to any vital organ must be enough.
    $endgroup$
    – user63214
    3 hours ago






  • 3




    $begingroup$
    When questions like this are posted I always worry someone is trying to kill someone in real life.
    $endgroup$
    – Willk
    2 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. I'm not sure why people are voting to close your question (real-world questions are permitted and this is an application of tech, which is one of our strengths). However, you might be asking for something that doesn't exist. A toxin that kills by limited touch but is accessible to common people is unbelievable. Such a toxin would be a controlled substance.
    $endgroup$
    – JBH
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Presumably everybody in the world could kill anyone at any time, at what age are children given access to this household asassination weapon?
    $endgroup$
    – Agrajag
    2 hours ago







2




2




$begingroup$
I think anything that can kill by 5-seconds contact with bare skin is inacessible to common people.
$endgroup$
– Renan
3 hours ago





$begingroup$
I think anything that can kill by 5-seconds contact with bare skin is inacessible to common people.
$endgroup$
– Renan
3 hours ago













$begingroup$
@Renan a permanent damage to any vital organ must be enough.
$endgroup$
– user63214
3 hours ago




$begingroup$
@Renan a permanent damage to any vital organ must be enough.
$endgroup$
– user63214
3 hours ago




3




3




$begingroup$
When questions like this are posted I always worry someone is trying to kill someone in real life.
$endgroup$
– Willk
2 hours ago




$begingroup$
When questions like this are posted I always worry someone is trying to kill someone in real life.
$endgroup$
– Willk
2 hours ago












$begingroup$
Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. I'm not sure why people are voting to close your question (real-world questions are permitted and this is an application of tech, which is one of our strengths). However, you might be asking for something that doesn't exist. A toxin that kills by limited touch but is accessible to common people is unbelievable. Such a toxin would be a controlled substance.
$endgroup$
– JBH
2 hours ago




$begingroup$
Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. I'm not sure why people are voting to close your question (real-world questions are permitted and this is an application of tech, which is one of our strengths). However, you might be asking for something that doesn't exist. A toxin that kills by limited touch but is accessible to common people is unbelievable. Such a toxin would be a controlled substance.
$endgroup$
– JBH
2 hours ago




1




1




$begingroup$
Presumably everybody in the world could kill anyone at any time, at what age are children given access to this household asassination weapon?
$endgroup$
– Agrajag
2 hours ago




$begingroup$
Presumably everybody in the world could kill anyone at any time, at what age are children given access to this household asassination weapon?
$endgroup$
– Agrajag
2 hours ago










4 Answers
4






active

oldest

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3












$begingroup$

Honeybee.



bee
https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2018/02/21/advocacy-groups-pressure-state-to-ban-bee-killing-pesticides/



I like this because if your victim is allergic, he can very definitely die from a bee sting. It takes seconds to get stung. This method is not applicable to the general population, so if user63214 is some disgruntled would-be murderer I am not an accessory. But for a story it could work just fine.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I love the way your mind works.
    $endgroup$
    – JBH
    27 mins ago


















1












$begingroup$

The canonical example is



Dimethylmercury




Dimethylmercury is an organomercury compound. A highly volatile, reactive, flammable, and colorless liquid, dimethylmercury is one of the strongest known neurotoxins, with a quantity of less than 0.1 mL capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning, and is easily absorbed through the skin. Dimethylmercury is capable of permeating many materials, including plastic and rubber compounds. It has a slightly sweet odor, although inhaling enough of the chemical to notice this would be hazardous. (Wikipedia, s.v. dimethylmercury)



Dimethylmercury is extremely toxic and dangerous to handle. Absorption of doses as low as 0.1 mL can result in severe mercury poisoning. The risks are enhanced because of the high vapor pressure of the liquid.



Permeation tests showed that several types of disposable latex or polyvinyl chloride gloves (typically, about 0.1 mm thick), commonly used in most laboratories and clinical settings, had high and maximal rates of permeation by dimethylmercury within 15 seconds. The American Occupational Safety and Health Administration advises handling dimethylmercury with highly resistant laminated gloves with an additional pair of abrasion-resistant gloves worn over the laminate pair, and also recommends using a face shield and working in a fume hood.



Dimethylmercury is metabolized after several days to methylmercury. Methylmercury crosses the blood–brain barrier easily, probably owing to formation of a complex with cysteine. It is eliminated from the organism slowly, and therefore has a tendency to bioaccumulate. The symptoms of poisoning may be delayed by months, resulting in cases in which a diagnosis is ultimately discovered, but only at the point in which it is too late for an effective treatment regimen to be successful.



The toxicity of dimethylmercury was highlighted with the death of Karen Wetterhahn, a professor of chemistry at Dartmouth College, in 1997. Professor Wetterhahn specialized in heavy metal poisoning. After she spilled a few drops of this compound on her latex glove, the barrier was compromised, and within minutes it was absorbed into her skin. It circulated through her body and accumulated in her brain, resulting in her death ten months later. This accident is a common toxicology case-study and directly resulted in improved safety procedures for chemical-protection clothing and fume use, which are now called for when any exposure to such severely toxic and/or highly penetrative substances is possible (e.g., in chemical munitions stockpiles and decontamination facilities).




The beauty of it is that dimethylmercury is easily synthesized:




The compound was one of the earliest organometallics reported, reflecting its considerable stability. It is formed by treating sodium amalgam with methyl halides:



$mathrmHg + 2 mathrmNa + 2 mathrm CH_3mathrmI rightarrow mathrm Hg(mathrmCH_3)_2 + 2 mathrm NaI$




Methyl iodide ($mathrm CH_3mathrmI$) itself is also easy to make.



All in all, all you need in order to make one the deadliest known substances is access to a high-school chemistry laboratory.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$




















    0












    $begingroup$

    While i do not know of any easily obtained chemicals or substances that can kill as you just through contact of your palm (probably a good thing for the general population) i can offer you some ideas.



    Delivery



    Firstly though, i am going to present you with a possible delivery system. As many chemicals need to be in your bloodstream to take effect, we would need some way of transferring them there. Thusly, i present you with The Assassin’s Glove (name pending).



    This would be a glove who’s palm is laced with hypodermic needles, similar to those you may find in nettles. As you shook someone’s hand, these needles would be pressed against their palm and inject the substance into their body. With this glove, you could inject practically anything into the target. Here are some suggestions:



    Substances



    Snake venom is relatively easy to obtain, assuming you can find and extract the venom from one. However, as it is a venom, it can’t kill you unless it enters your blood stream. You can safely drink snake venom if you do not have any cuts from your mouth to your stomach. However, if you had a cut or it was injected into you, then you would feel its effects.



    Cyanide is a classic killer, you can extract it from apple seeds if your protagonist truly has no access to any kind of harmful substance.



    Hydrochloric acid, extracted from bleach, may also do the job. Bleach does have a strong smell to it though which may give your assassin away.



    Alternatively



    If you’re just looking for a way to stealthily kill someone, polonium has famously been used. It is a radioactive substance which emits alpha radiation. Alpha radiation can not penetrate human skin but, of ingested, it is fatal. The reason it kills you is the same reason you are normally safe from it, it can’t penetrate your skin, meaning its stuck inside you and damages your DNA. It would likely take weeks or months to kill someone this way but it has been used in the past. You might also be able to inject it to get a similar effect.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$




















      0












      $begingroup$

      Elemental Mercury



      Okay, this doesn't really meet your requirements. Not much is absorbed through the skin. But mercury in your hand is fun to play with and your victim might keep it on longer than 4-5 seconds. The danger is from the vapors. If your plot allows, pouring large amounts of mercury around the victim's bed or car, or another relatively small space where the victim spends a lot of time, might do the trick.



      Elemental mercury is what's in thermometers (the kind without batteries), so it would be relatively simple (though expensive and time consuming) to gather enough for the perpetrator to use (assuming a lot of safety equipment, the kind easily found online). The more dangerous form of mercury is methyl mercury, but that's not exactly sold in handy dandy glass containers. Mercury also has medical applications but purchasing it in larger quantities might prove more difficult.



      Instead of buying old fashioned thermometers, the perp might want to buy new digital ones and offer them free to doctor's clinics and households and schools in exchange for mercury ones (as a way to reduce potential toxic exposures...swap programs like this probably already exist legitimately). You may also have some luck with fluorescent light bulbs.




      Elemental mercury, also called “quicksilver,” is a heavy, silvery,
      form of the metal mercury that is liquid at room temperature. It can
      slowly change from a liquid into a gas that is invisible to the naked
      eye. The gas or “vapors” that are released will start to fill a room
      if mercury is spilled indoors.



      Mercury is a very
      toxic or poisonous substance that people can be exposed to in several
      ways. If it is swallowed, like from a broken thermometer, it mostly
      passes through your body and very little is absorbed. If you touch it,
      a small amount may pass through your skin, but not usually enough to
      harm you. Mercury is most harmful when you breathe in the vapors that
      are released when a container is open or a spill occurs. (ref)




      Will elemental mercury fumes kill a victim? Maybe. But organ damage (which you allow as an alternative) is more likely.




      How much mercury spilled in a room will make air in the room unsafe?
      Any amount of mercury spilled indoors can be hazardous. The more
      mercury is spilled, the more its vapor will build up in air and the
      more hazardous it will be. Even a small spill, such as from a broken
      thermometer, can produce hazardous amounts of vapor if a room is small
      enough, warm enough and people spend a good deal of time there, as in
      a small bedroom.
      (ref)




      Spilling the mercury on to a hot surface (like a stove) will vaporize it quickly. Spilling it elsewhere will allow the vapors to accumulate more slowly. The liquid form is easily tracked through a house and hard to get rid of.




      Inhalation of elemental mercury vapors is the main source of toxicity,
      as mercury is well-absorbed through the lungs. Problems from
      inhalation result either from a large one-time high exposure or a
      long-term exposure. Long-term exposure of inhaled vapors is generally
      more dangerous, with the nervous system being the primary target of
      mercury toxicity. Symptoms may occur within weeks but usually develop
      insidiously over a period of years. Neurologic symptoms include
      tremors, headaches, short-term memory loss, incoordination, weakness,
      loss of appetite, altered sense of taste and smell, numbness and
      tingling in the hands and feet, insomnia, and excessive sweating.
      Psychiatric effects are also seen after long-term exposure. The
      kidneys can also be effected. Intense exposure to high concentrations
      of mercury vapor can lead to severe respiratory damage
      . (ref)




      So there you have it. Organ damage from even short-term exposures. But not from being held in the hand. Consider that a frame challenge, that the substance you are imagining probably does not exist. But you can combine mercury in the hand with mercury spilling all over the place and creating fumes. Maybe try when the victim is locked into a sauna for an hour. There are many possibilities.






      share|improve this answer











      $endgroup$












      • $begingroup$
        Metallic mercury is not really all that dangerous. You can play with it, hold it in your hand, just don't eat it and don't overdo it. The danger comes from chronic exposure to mercury vapor. After all, it was used for thousands of years and it did not cause massive mortality... People of a certain age still remember when mercurcy thermometers were readily availale.
        $endgroup$
        – AlexP
        3 mins ago












      Your Answer








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      4 Answers
      4






      active

      oldest

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      4 Answers
      4






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      3












      $begingroup$

      Honeybee.



      bee
      https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2018/02/21/advocacy-groups-pressure-state-to-ban-bee-killing-pesticides/



      I like this because if your victim is allergic, he can very definitely die from a bee sting. It takes seconds to get stung. This method is not applicable to the general population, so if user63214 is some disgruntled would-be murderer I am not an accessory. But for a story it could work just fine.






      share|improve this answer









      $endgroup$








      • 1




        $begingroup$
        I love the way your mind works.
        $endgroup$
        – JBH
        27 mins ago















      3












      $begingroup$

      Honeybee.



      bee
      https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2018/02/21/advocacy-groups-pressure-state-to-ban-bee-killing-pesticides/



      I like this because if your victim is allergic, he can very definitely die from a bee sting. It takes seconds to get stung. This method is not applicable to the general population, so if user63214 is some disgruntled would-be murderer I am not an accessory. But for a story it could work just fine.






      share|improve this answer









      $endgroup$








      • 1




        $begingroup$
        I love the way your mind works.
        $endgroup$
        – JBH
        27 mins ago













      3












      3








      3





      $begingroup$

      Honeybee.



      bee
      https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2018/02/21/advocacy-groups-pressure-state-to-ban-bee-killing-pesticides/



      I like this because if your victim is allergic, he can very definitely die from a bee sting. It takes seconds to get stung. This method is not applicable to the general population, so if user63214 is some disgruntled would-be murderer I am not an accessory. But for a story it could work just fine.






      share|improve this answer









      $endgroup$



      Honeybee.



      bee
      https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2018/02/21/advocacy-groups-pressure-state-to-ban-bee-killing-pesticides/



      I like this because if your victim is allergic, he can very definitely die from a bee sting. It takes seconds to get stung. This method is not applicable to the general population, so if user63214 is some disgruntled would-be murderer I am not an accessory. But for a story it could work just fine.







      share|improve this answer












      share|improve this answer



      share|improve this answer










      answered 1 hour ago









      WillkWillk

      117k28221489




      117k28221489







      • 1




        $begingroup$
        I love the way your mind works.
        $endgroup$
        – JBH
        27 mins ago












      • 1




        $begingroup$
        I love the way your mind works.
        $endgroup$
        – JBH
        27 mins ago







      1




      1




      $begingroup$
      I love the way your mind works.
      $endgroup$
      – JBH
      27 mins ago




      $begingroup$
      I love the way your mind works.
      $endgroup$
      – JBH
      27 mins ago











      1












      $begingroup$

      The canonical example is



      Dimethylmercury




      Dimethylmercury is an organomercury compound. A highly volatile, reactive, flammable, and colorless liquid, dimethylmercury is one of the strongest known neurotoxins, with a quantity of less than 0.1 mL capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning, and is easily absorbed through the skin. Dimethylmercury is capable of permeating many materials, including plastic and rubber compounds. It has a slightly sweet odor, although inhaling enough of the chemical to notice this would be hazardous. (Wikipedia, s.v. dimethylmercury)



      Dimethylmercury is extremely toxic and dangerous to handle. Absorption of doses as low as 0.1 mL can result in severe mercury poisoning. The risks are enhanced because of the high vapor pressure of the liquid.



      Permeation tests showed that several types of disposable latex or polyvinyl chloride gloves (typically, about 0.1 mm thick), commonly used in most laboratories and clinical settings, had high and maximal rates of permeation by dimethylmercury within 15 seconds. The American Occupational Safety and Health Administration advises handling dimethylmercury with highly resistant laminated gloves with an additional pair of abrasion-resistant gloves worn over the laminate pair, and also recommends using a face shield and working in a fume hood.



      Dimethylmercury is metabolized after several days to methylmercury. Methylmercury crosses the blood–brain barrier easily, probably owing to formation of a complex with cysteine. It is eliminated from the organism slowly, and therefore has a tendency to bioaccumulate. The symptoms of poisoning may be delayed by months, resulting in cases in which a diagnosis is ultimately discovered, but only at the point in which it is too late for an effective treatment regimen to be successful.



      The toxicity of dimethylmercury was highlighted with the death of Karen Wetterhahn, a professor of chemistry at Dartmouth College, in 1997. Professor Wetterhahn specialized in heavy metal poisoning. After she spilled a few drops of this compound on her latex glove, the barrier was compromised, and within minutes it was absorbed into her skin. It circulated through her body and accumulated in her brain, resulting in her death ten months later. This accident is a common toxicology case-study and directly resulted in improved safety procedures for chemical-protection clothing and fume use, which are now called for when any exposure to such severely toxic and/or highly penetrative substances is possible (e.g., in chemical munitions stockpiles and decontamination facilities).




      The beauty of it is that dimethylmercury is easily synthesized:




      The compound was one of the earliest organometallics reported, reflecting its considerable stability. It is formed by treating sodium amalgam with methyl halides:



      $mathrmHg + 2 mathrmNa + 2 mathrm CH_3mathrmI rightarrow mathrm Hg(mathrmCH_3)_2 + 2 mathrm NaI$




      Methyl iodide ($mathrm CH_3mathrmI$) itself is also easy to make.



      All in all, all you need in order to make one the deadliest known substances is access to a high-school chemistry laboratory.






      share|improve this answer











      $endgroup$

















        1












        $begingroup$

        The canonical example is



        Dimethylmercury




        Dimethylmercury is an organomercury compound. A highly volatile, reactive, flammable, and colorless liquid, dimethylmercury is one of the strongest known neurotoxins, with a quantity of less than 0.1 mL capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning, and is easily absorbed through the skin. Dimethylmercury is capable of permeating many materials, including plastic and rubber compounds. It has a slightly sweet odor, although inhaling enough of the chemical to notice this would be hazardous. (Wikipedia, s.v. dimethylmercury)



        Dimethylmercury is extremely toxic and dangerous to handle. Absorption of doses as low as 0.1 mL can result in severe mercury poisoning. The risks are enhanced because of the high vapor pressure of the liquid.



        Permeation tests showed that several types of disposable latex or polyvinyl chloride gloves (typically, about 0.1 mm thick), commonly used in most laboratories and clinical settings, had high and maximal rates of permeation by dimethylmercury within 15 seconds. The American Occupational Safety and Health Administration advises handling dimethylmercury with highly resistant laminated gloves with an additional pair of abrasion-resistant gloves worn over the laminate pair, and also recommends using a face shield and working in a fume hood.



        Dimethylmercury is metabolized after several days to methylmercury. Methylmercury crosses the blood–brain barrier easily, probably owing to formation of a complex with cysteine. It is eliminated from the organism slowly, and therefore has a tendency to bioaccumulate. The symptoms of poisoning may be delayed by months, resulting in cases in which a diagnosis is ultimately discovered, but only at the point in which it is too late for an effective treatment regimen to be successful.



        The toxicity of dimethylmercury was highlighted with the death of Karen Wetterhahn, a professor of chemistry at Dartmouth College, in 1997. Professor Wetterhahn specialized in heavy metal poisoning. After she spilled a few drops of this compound on her latex glove, the barrier was compromised, and within minutes it was absorbed into her skin. It circulated through her body and accumulated in her brain, resulting in her death ten months later. This accident is a common toxicology case-study and directly resulted in improved safety procedures for chemical-protection clothing and fume use, which are now called for when any exposure to such severely toxic and/or highly penetrative substances is possible (e.g., in chemical munitions stockpiles and decontamination facilities).




        The beauty of it is that dimethylmercury is easily synthesized:




        The compound was one of the earliest organometallics reported, reflecting its considerable stability. It is formed by treating sodium amalgam with methyl halides:



        $mathrmHg + 2 mathrmNa + 2 mathrm CH_3mathrmI rightarrow mathrm Hg(mathrmCH_3)_2 + 2 mathrm NaI$




        Methyl iodide ($mathrm CH_3mathrmI$) itself is also easy to make.



        All in all, all you need in order to make one the deadliest known substances is access to a high-school chemistry laboratory.






        share|improve this answer











        $endgroup$















          1












          1








          1





          $begingroup$

          The canonical example is



          Dimethylmercury




          Dimethylmercury is an organomercury compound. A highly volatile, reactive, flammable, and colorless liquid, dimethylmercury is one of the strongest known neurotoxins, with a quantity of less than 0.1 mL capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning, and is easily absorbed through the skin. Dimethylmercury is capable of permeating many materials, including plastic and rubber compounds. It has a slightly sweet odor, although inhaling enough of the chemical to notice this would be hazardous. (Wikipedia, s.v. dimethylmercury)



          Dimethylmercury is extremely toxic and dangerous to handle. Absorption of doses as low as 0.1 mL can result in severe mercury poisoning. The risks are enhanced because of the high vapor pressure of the liquid.



          Permeation tests showed that several types of disposable latex or polyvinyl chloride gloves (typically, about 0.1 mm thick), commonly used in most laboratories and clinical settings, had high and maximal rates of permeation by dimethylmercury within 15 seconds. The American Occupational Safety and Health Administration advises handling dimethylmercury with highly resistant laminated gloves with an additional pair of abrasion-resistant gloves worn over the laminate pair, and also recommends using a face shield and working in a fume hood.



          Dimethylmercury is metabolized after several days to methylmercury. Methylmercury crosses the blood–brain barrier easily, probably owing to formation of a complex with cysteine. It is eliminated from the organism slowly, and therefore has a tendency to bioaccumulate. The symptoms of poisoning may be delayed by months, resulting in cases in which a diagnosis is ultimately discovered, but only at the point in which it is too late for an effective treatment regimen to be successful.



          The toxicity of dimethylmercury was highlighted with the death of Karen Wetterhahn, a professor of chemistry at Dartmouth College, in 1997. Professor Wetterhahn specialized in heavy metal poisoning. After she spilled a few drops of this compound on her latex glove, the barrier was compromised, and within minutes it was absorbed into her skin. It circulated through her body and accumulated in her brain, resulting in her death ten months later. This accident is a common toxicology case-study and directly resulted in improved safety procedures for chemical-protection clothing and fume use, which are now called for when any exposure to such severely toxic and/or highly penetrative substances is possible (e.g., in chemical munitions stockpiles and decontamination facilities).




          The beauty of it is that dimethylmercury is easily synthesized:




          The compound was one of the earliest organometallics reported, reflecting its considerable stability. It is formed by treating sodium amalgam with methyl halides:



          $mathrmHg + 2 mathrmNa + 2 mathrm CH_3mathrmI rightarrow mathrm Hg(mathrmCH_3)_2 + 2 mathrm NaI$




          Methyl iodide ($mathrm CH_3mathrmI$) itself is also easy to make.



          All in all, all you need in order to make one the deadliest known substances is access to a high-school chemistry laboratory.






          share|improve this answer











          $endgroup$



          The canonical example is



          Dimethylmercury




          Dimethylmercury is an organomercury compound. A highly volatile, reactive, flammable, and colorless liquid, dimethylmercury is one of the strongest known neurotoxins, with a quantity of less than 0.1 mL capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning, and is easily absorbed through the skin. Dimethylmercury is capable of permeating many materials, including plastic and rubber compounds. It has a slightly sweet odor, although inhaling enough of the chemical to notice this would be hazardous. (Wikipedia, s.v. dimethylmercury)



          Dimethylmercury is extremely toxic and dangerous to handle. Absorption of doses as low as 0.1 mL can result in severe mercury poisoning. The risks are enhanced because of the high vapor pressure of the liquid.



          Permeation tests showed that several types of disposable latex or polyvinyl chloride gloves (typically, about 0.1 mm thick), commonly used in most laboratories and clinical settings, had high and maximal rates of permeation by dimethylmercury within 15 seconds. The American Occupational Safety and Health Administration advises handling dimethylmercury with highly resistant laminated gloves with an additional pair of abrasion-resistant gloves worn over the laminate pair, and also recommends using a face shield and working in a fume hood.



          Dimethylmercury is metabolized after several days to methylmercury. Methylmercury crosses the blood–brain barrier easily, probably owing to formation of a complex with cysteine. It is eliminated from the organism slowly, and therefore has a tendency to bioaccumulate. The symptoms of poisoning may be delayed by months, resulting in cases in which a diagnosis is ultimately discovered, but only at the point in which it is too late for an effective treatment regimen to be successful.



          The toxicity of dimethylmercury was highlighted with the death of Karen Wetterhahn, a professor of chemistry at Dartmouth College, in 1997. Professor Wetterhahn specialized in heavy metal poisoning. After she spilled a few drops of this compound on her latex glove, the barrier was compromised, and within minutes it was absorbed into her skin. It circulated through her body and accumulated in her brain, resulting in her death ten months later. This accident is a common toxicology case-study and directly resulted in improved safety procedures for chemical-protection clothing and fume use, which are now called for when any exposure to such severely toxic and/or highly penetrative substances is possible (e.g., in chemical munitions stockpiles and decontamination facilities).




          The beauty of it is that dimethylmercury is easily synthesized:




          The compound was one of the earliest organometallics reported, reflecting its considerable stability. It is formed by treating sodium amalgam with methyl halides:



          $mathrmHg + 2 mathrmNa + 2 mathrm CH_3mathrmI rightarrow mathrm Hg(mathrmCH_3)_2 + 2 mathrm NaI$




          Methyl iodide ($mathrm CH_3mathrmI$) itself is also easy to make.



          All in all, all you need in order to make one the deadliest known substances is access to a high-school chemistry laboratory.







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 18 mins ago

























          answered 44 mins ago









          AlexPAlexP

          41.6k894164




          41.6k894164





















              0












              $begingroup$

              While i do not know of any easily obtained chemicals or substances that can kill as you just through contact of your palm (probably a good thing for the general population) i can offer you some ideas.



              Delivery



              Firstly though, i am going to present you with a possible delivery system. As many chemicals need to be in your bloodstream to take effect, we would need some way of transferring them there. Thusly, i present you with The Assassin’s Glove (name pending).



              This would be a glove who’s palm is laced with hypodermic needles, similar to those you may find in nettles. As you shook someone’s hand, these needles would be pressed against their palm and inject the substance into their body. With this glove, you could inject practically anything into the target. Here are some suggestions:



              Substances



              Snake venom is relatively easy to obtain, assuming you can find and extract the venom from one. However, as it is a venom, it can’t kill you unless it enters your blood stream. You can safely drink snake venom if you do not have any cuts from your mouth to your stomach. However, if you had a cut or it was injected into you, then you would feel its effects.



              Cyanide is a classic killer, you can extract it from apple seeds if your protagonist truly has no access to any kind of harmful substance.



              Hydrochloric acid, extracted from bleach, may also do the job. Bleach does have a strong smell to it though which may give your assassin away.



              Alternatively



              If you’re just looking for a way to stealthily kill someone, polonium has famously been used. It is a radioactive substance which emits alpha radiation. Alpha radiation can not penetrate human skin but, of ingested, it is fatal. The reason it kills you is the same reason you are normally safe from it, it can’t penetrate your skin, meaning its stuck inside you and damages your DNA. It would likely take weeks or months to kill someone this way but it has been used in the past. You might also be able to inject it to get a similar effect.






              share|improve this answer









              $endgroup$

















                0












                $begingroup$

                While i do not know of any easily obtained chemicals or substances that can kill as you just through contact of your palm (probably a good thing for the general population) i can offer you some ideas.



                Delivery



                Firstly though, i am going to present you with a possible delivery system. As many chemicals need to be in your bloodstream to take effect, we would need some way of transferring them there. Thusly, i present you with The Assassin’s Glove (name pending).



                This would be a glove who’s palm is laced with hypodermic needles, similar to those you may find in nettles. As you shook someone’s hand, these needles would be pressed against their palm and inject the substance into their body. With this glove, you could inject practically anything into the target. Here are some suggestions:



                Substances



                Snake venom is relatively easy to obtain, assuming you can find and extract the venom from one. However, as it is a venom, it can’t kill you unless it enters your blood stream. You can safely drink snake venom if you do not have any cuts from your mouth to your stomach. However, if you had a cut or it was injected into you, then you would feel its effects.



                Cyanide is a classic killer, you can extract it from apple seeds if your protagonist truly has no access to any kind of harmful substance.



                Hydrochloric acid, extracted from bleach, may also do the job. Bleach does have a strong smell to it though which may give your assassin away.



                Alternatively



                If you’re just looking for a way to stealthily kill someone, polonium has famously been used. It is a radioactive substance which emits alpha radiation. Alpha radiation can not penetrate human skin but, of ingested, it is fatal. The reason it kills you is the same reason you are normally safe from it, it can’t penetrate your skin, meaning its stuck inside you and damages your DNA. It would likely take weeks or months to kill someone this way but it has been used in the past. You might also be able to inject it to get a similar effect.






                share|improve this answer









                $endgroup$















                  0












                  0








                  0





                  $begingroup$

                  While i do not know of any easily obtained chemicals or substances that can kill as you just through contact of your palm (probably a good thing for the general population) i can offer you some ideas.



                  Delivery



                  Firstly though, i am going to present you with a possible delivery system. As many chemicals need to be in your bloodstream to take effect, we would need some way of transferring them there. Thusly, i present you with The Assassin’s Glove (name pending).



                  This would be a glove who’s palm is laced with hypodermic needles, similar to those you may find in nettles. As you shook someone’s hand, these needles would be pressed against their palm and inject the substance into their body. With this glove, you could inject practically anything into the target. Here are some suggestions:



                  Substances



                  Snake venom is relatively easy to obtain, assuming you can find and extract the venom from one. However, as it is a venom, it can’t kill you unless it enters your blood stream. You can safely drink snake venom if you do not have any cuts from your mouth to your stomach. However, if you had a cut or it was injected into you, then you would feel its effects.



                  Cyanide is a classic killer, you can extract it from apple seeds if your protagonist truly has no access to any kind of harmful substance.



                  Hydrochloric acid, extracted from bleach, may also do the job. Bleach does have a strong smell to it though which may give your assassin away.



                  Alternatively



                  If you’re just looking for a way to stealthily kill someone, polonium has famously been used. It is a radioactive substance which emits alpha radiation. Alpha radiation can not penetrate human skin but, of ingested, it is fatal. The reason it kills you is the same reason you are normally safe from it, it can’t penetrate your skin, meaning its stuck inside you and damages your DNA. It would likely take weeks or months to kill someone this way but it has been used in the past. You might also be able to inject it to get a similar effect.






                  share|improve this answer









                  $endgroup$



                  While i do not know of any easily obtained chemicals or substances that can kill as you just through contact of your palm (probably a good thing for the general population) i can offer you some ideas.



                  Delivery



                  Firstly though, i am going to present you with a possible delivery system. As many chemicals need to be in your bloodstream to take effect, we would need some way of transferring them there. Thusly, i present you with The Assassin’s Glove (name pending).



                  This would be a glove who’s palm is laced with hypodermic needles, similar to those you may find in nettles. As you shook someone’s hand, these needles would be pressed against their palm and inject the substance into their body. With this glove, you could inject practically anything into the target. Here are some suggestions:



                  Substances



                  Snake venom is relatively easy to obtain, assuming you can find and extract the venom from one. However, as it is a venom, it can’t kill you unless it enters your blood stream. You can safely drink snake venom if you do not have any cuts from your mouth to your stomach. However, if you had a cut or it was injected into you, then you would feel its effects.



                  Cyanide is a classic killer, you can extract it from apple seeds if your protagonist truly has no access to any kind of harmful substance.



                  Hydrochloric acid, extracted from bleach, may also do the job. Bleach does have a strong smell to it though which may give your assassin away.



                  Alternatively



                  If you’re just looking for a way to stealthily kill someone, polonium has famously been used. It is a radioactive substance which emits alpha radiation. Alpha radiation can not penetrate human skin but, of ingested, it is fatal. The reason it kills you is the same reason you are normally safe from it, it can’t penetrate your skin, meaning its stuck inside you and damages your DNA. It would likely take weeks or months to kill someone this way but it has been used in the past. You might also be able to inject it to get a similar effect.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 1 hour ago









                  Liam MorrisLiam Morris

                  2,007426




                  2,007426





















                      0












                      $begingroup$

                      Elemental Mercury



                      Okay, this doesn't really meet your requirements. Not much is absorbed through the skin. But mercury in your hand is fun to play with and your victim might keep it on longer than 4-5 seconds. The danger is from the vapors. If your plot allows, pouring large amounts of mercury around the victim's bed or car, or another relatively small space where the victim spends a lot of time, might do the trick.



                      Elemental mercury is what's in thermometers (the kind without batteries), so it would be relatively simple (though expensive and time consuming) to gather enough for the perpetrator to use (assuming a lot of safety equipment, the kind easily found online). The more dangerous form of mercury is methyl mercury, but that's not exactly sold in handy dandy glass containers. Mercury also has medical applications but purchasing it in larger quantities might prove more difficult.



                      Instead of buying old fashioned thermometers, the perp might want to buy new digital ones and offer them free to doctor's clinics and households and schools in exchange for mercury ones (as a way to reduce potential toxic exposures...swap programs like this probably already exist legitimately). You may also have some luck with fluorescent light bulbs.




                      Elemental mercury, also called “quicksilver,” is a heavy, silvery,
                      form of the metal mercury that is liquid at room temperature. It can
                      slowly change from a liquid into a gas that is invisible to the naked
                      eye. The gas or “vapors” that are released will start to fill a room
                      if mercury is spilled indoors.



                      Mercury is a very
                      toxic or poisonous substance that people can be exposed to in several
                      ways. If it is swallowed, like from a broken thermometer, it mostly
                      passes through your body and very little is absorbed. If you touch it,
                      a small amount may pass through your skin, but not usually enough to
                      harm you. Mercury is most harmful when you breathe in the vapors that
                      are released when a container is open or a spill occurs. (ref)




                      Will elemental mercury fumes kill a victim? Maybe. But organ damage (which you allow as an alternative) is more likely.




                      How much mercury spilled in a room will make air in the room unsafe?
                      Any amount of mercury spilled indoors can be hazardous. The more
                      mercury is spilled, the more its vapor will build up in air and the
                      more hazardous it will be. Even a small spill, such as from a broken
                      thermometer, can produce hazardous amounts of vapor if a room is small
                      enough, warm enough and people spend a good deal of time there, as in
                      a small bedroom.
                      (ref)




                      Spilling the mercury on to a hot surface (like a stove) will vaporize it quickly. Spilling it elsewhere will allow the vapors to accumulate more slowly. The liquid form is easily tracked through a house and hard to get rid of.




                      Inhalation of elemental mercury vapors is the main source of toxicity,
                      as mercury is well-absorbed through the lungs. Problems from
                      inhalation result either from a large one-time high exposure or a
                      long-term exposure. Long-term exposure of inhaled vapors is generally
                      more dangerous, with the nervous system being the primary target of
                      mercury toxicity. Symptoms may occur within weeks but usually develop
                      insidiously over a period of years. Neurologic symptoms include
                      tremors, headaches, short-term memory loss, incoordination, weakness,
                      loss of appetite, altered sense of taste and smell, numbness and
                      tingling in the hands and feet, insomnia, and excessive sweating.
                      Psychiatric effects are also seen after long-term exposure. The
                      kidneys can also be effected. Intense exposure to high concentrations
                      of mercury vapor can lead to severe respiratory damage
                      . (ref)




                      So there you have it. Organ damage from even short-term exposures. But not from being held in the hand. Consider that a frame challenge, that the substance you are imagining probably does not exist. But you can combine mercury in the hand with mercury spilling all over the place and creating fumes. Maybe try when the victim is locked into a sauna for an hour. There are many possibilities.






                      share|improve this answer











                      $endgroup$












                      • $begingroup$
                        Metallic mercury is not really all that dangerous. You can play with it, hold it in your hand, just don't eat it and don't overdo it. The danger comes from chronic exposure to mercury vapor. After all, it was used for thousands of years and it did not cause massive mortality... People of a certain age still remember when mercurcy thermometers were readily availale.
                        $endgroup$
                        – AlexP
                        3 mins ago
















                      0












                      $begingroup$

                      Elemental Mercury



                      Okay, this doesn't really meet your requirements. Not much is absorbed through the skin. But mercury in your hand is fun to play with and your victim might keep it on longer than 4-5 seconds. The danger is from the vapors. If your plot allows, pouring large amounts of mercury around the victim's bed or car, or another relatively small space where the victim spends a lot of time, might do the trick.



                      Elemental mercury is what's in thermometers (the kind without batteries), so it would be relatively simple (though expensive and time consuming) to gather enough for the perpetrator to use (assuming a lot of safety equipment, the kind easily found online). The more dangerous form of mercury is methyl mercury, but that's not exactly sold in handy dandy glass containers. Mercury also has medical applications but purchasing it in larger quantities might prove more difficult.



                      Instead of buying old fashioned thermometers, the perp might want to buy new digital ones and offer them free to doctor's clinics and households and schools in exchange for mercury ones (as a way to reduce potential toxic exposures...swap programs like this probably already exist legitimately). You may also have some luck with fluorescent light bulbs.




                      Elemental mercury, also called “quicksilver,” is a heavy, silvery,
                      form of the metal mercury that is liquid at room temperature. It can
                      slowly change from a liquid into a gas that is invisible to the naked
                      eye. The gas or “vapors” that are released will start to fill a room
                      if mercury is spilled indoors.



                      Mercury is a very
                      toxic or poisonous substance that people can be exposed to in several
                      ways. If it is swallowed, like from a broken thermometer, it mostly
                      passes through your body and very little is absorbed. If you touch it,
                      a small amount may pass through your skin, but not usually enough to
                      harm you. Mercury is most harmful when you breathe in the vapors that
                      are released when a container is open or a spill occurs. (ref)




                      Will elemental mercury fumes kill a victim? Maybe. But organ damage (which you allow as an alternative) is more likely.




                      How much mercury spilled in a room will make air in the room unsafe?
                      Any amount of mercury spilled indoors can be hazardous. The more
                      mercury is spilled, the more its vapor will build up in air and the
                      more hazardous it will be. Even a small spill, such as from a broken
                      thermometer, can produce hazardous amounts of vapor if a room is small
                      enough, warm enough and people spend a good deal of time there, as in
                      a small bedroom.
                      (ref)




                      Spilling the mercury on to a hot surface (like a stove) will vaporize it quickly. Spilling it elsewhere will allow the vapors to accumulate more slowly. The liquid form is easily tracked through a house and hard to get rid of.




                      Inhalation of elemental mercury vapors is the main source of toxicity,
                      as mercury is well-absorbed through the lungs. Problems from
                      inhalation result either from a large one-time high exposure or a
                      long-term exposure. Long-term exposure of inhaled vapors is generally
                      more dangerous, with the nervous system being the primary target of
                      mercury toxicity. Symptoms may occur within weeks but usually develop
                      insidiously over a period of years. Neurologic symptoms include
                      tremors, headaches, short-term memory loss, incoordination, weakness,
                      loss of appetite, altered sense of taste and smell, numbness and
                      tingling in the hands and feet, insomnia, and excessive sweating.
                      Psychiatric effects are also seen after long-term exposure. The
                      kidneys can also be effected. Intense exposure to high concentrations
                      of mercury vapor can lead to severe respiratory damage
                      . (ref)




                      So there you have it. Organ damage from even short-term exposures. But not from being held in the hand. Consider that a frame challenge, that the substance you are imagining probably does not exist. But you can combine mercury in the hand with mercury spilling all over the place and creating fumes. Maybe try when the victim is locked into a sauna for an hour. There are many possibilities.






                      share|improve this answer











                      $endgroup$












                      • $begingroup$
                        Metallic mercury is not really all that dangerous. You can play with it, hold it in your hand, just don't eat it and don't overdo it. The danger comes from chronic exposure to mercury vapor. After all, it was used for thousands of years and it did not cause massive mortality... People of a certain age still remember when mercurcy thermometers were readily availale.
                        $endgroup$
                        – AlexP
                        3 mins ago














                      0












                      0








                      0





                      $begingroup$

                      Elemental Mercury



                      Okay, this doesn't really meet your requirements. Not much is absorbed through the skin. But mercury in your hand is fun to play with and your victim might keep it on longer than 4-5 seconds. The danger is from the vapors. If your plot allows, pouring large amounts of mercury around the victim's bed or car, or another relatively small space where the victim spends a lot of time, might do the trick.



                      Elemental mercury is what's in thermometers (the kind without batteries), so it would be relatively simple (though expensive and time consuming) to gather enough for the perpetrator to use (assuming a lot of safety equipment, the kind easily found online). The more dangerous form of mercury is methyl mercury, but that's not exactly sold in handy dandy glass containers. Mercury also has medical applications but purchasing it in larger quantities might prove more difficult.



                      Instead of buying old fashioned thermometers, the perp might want to buy new digital ones and offer them free to doctor's clinics and households and schools in exchange for mercury ones (as a way to reduce potential toxic exposures...swap programs like this probably already exist legitimately). You may also have some luck with fluorescent light bulbs.




                      Elemental mercury, also called “quicksilver,” is a heavy, silvery,
                      form of the metal mercury that is liquid at room temperature. It can
                      slowly change from a liquid into a gas that is invisible to the naked
                      eye. The gas or “vapors” that are released will start to fill a room
                      if mercury is spilled indoors.



                      Mercury is a very
                      toxic or poisonous substance that people can be exposed to in several
                      ways. If it is swallowed, like from a broken thermometer, it mostly
                      passes through your body and very little is absorbed. If you touch it,
                      a small amount may pass through your skin, but not usually enough to
                      harm you. Mercury is most harmful when you breathe in the vapors that
                      are released when a container is open or a spill occurs. (ref)




                      Will elemental mercury fumes kill a victim? Maybe. But organ damage (which you allow as an alternative) is more likely.




                      How much mercury spilled in a room will make air in the room unsafe?
                      Any amount of mercury spilled indoors can be hazardous. The more
                      mercury is spilled, the more its vapor will build up in air and the
                      more hazardous it will be. Even a small spill, such as from a broken
                      thermometer, can produce hazardous amounts of vapor if a room is small
                      enough, warm enough and people spend a good deal of time there, as in
                      a small bedroom.
                      (ref)




                      Spilling the mercury on to a hot surface (like a stove) will vaporize it quickly. Spilling it elsewhere will allow the vapors to accumulate more slowly. The liquid form is easily tracked through a house and hard to get rid of.




                      Inhalation of elemental mercury vapors is the main source of toxicity,
                      as mercury is well-absorbed through the lungs. Problems from
                      inhalation result either from a large one-time high exposure or a
                      long-term exposure. Long-term exposure of inhaled vapors is generally
                      more dangerous, with the nervous system being the primary target of
                      mercury toxicity. Symptoms may occur within weeks but usually develop
                      insidiously over a period of years. Neurologic symptoms include
                      tremors, headaches, short-term memory loss, incoordination, weakness,
                      loss of appetite, altered sense of taste and smell, numbness and
                      tingling in the hands and feet, insomnia, and excessive sweating.
                      Psychiatric effects are also seen after long-term exposure. The
                      kidneys can also be effected. Intense exposure to high concentrations
                      of mercury vapor can lead to severe respiratory damage
                      . (ref)




                      So there you have it. Organ damage from even short-term exposures. But not from being held in the hand. Consider that a frame challenge, that the substance you are imagining probably does not exist. But you can combine mercury in the hand with mercury spilling all over the place and creating fumes. Maybe try when the victim is locked into a sauna for an hour. There are many possibilities.






                      share|improve this answer











                      $endgroup$



                      Elemental Mercury



                      Okay, this doesn't really meet your requirements. Not much is absorbed through the skin. But mercury in your hand is fun to play with and your victim might keep it on longer than 4-5 seconds. The danger is from the vapors. If your plot allows, pouring large amounts of mercury around the victim's bed or car, or another relatively small space where the victim spends a lot of time, might do the trick.



                      Elemental mercury is what's in thermometers (the kind without batteries), so it would be relatively simple (though expensive and time consuming) to gather enough for the perpetrator to use (assuming a lot of safety equipment, the kind easily found online). The more dangerous form of mercury is methyl mercury, but that's not exactly sold in handy dandy glass containers. Mercury also has medical applications but purchasing it in larger quantities might prove more difficult.



                      Instead of buying old fashioned thermometers, the perp might want to buy new digital ones and offer them free to doctor's clinics and households and schools in exchange for mercury ones (as a way to reduce potential toxic exposures...swap programs like this probably already exist legitimately). You may also have some luck with fluorescent light bulbs.




                      Elemental mercury, also called “quicksilver,” is a heavy, silvery,
                      form of the metal mercury that is liquid at room temperature. It can
                      slowly change from a liquid into a gas that is invisible to the naked
                      eye. The gas or “vapors” that are released will start to fill a room
                      if mercury is spilled indoors.



                      Mercury is a very
                      toxic or poisonous substance that people can be exposed to in several
                      ways. If it is swallowed, like from a broken thermometer, it mostly
                      passes through your body and very little is absorbed. If you touch it,
                      a small amount may pass through your skin, but not usually enough to
                      harm you. Mercury is most harmful when you breathe in the vapors that
                      are released when a container is open or a spill occurs. (ref)




                      Will elemental mercury fumes kill a victim? Maybe. But organ damage (which you allow as an alternative) is more likely.




                      How much mercury spilled in a room will make air in the room unsafe?
                      Any amount of mercury spilled indoors can be hazardous. The more
                      mercury is spilled, the more its vapor will build up in air and the
                      more hazardous it will be. Even a small spill, such as from a broken
                      thermometer, can produce hazardous amounts of vapor if a room is small
                      enough, warm enough and people spend a good deal of time there, as in
                      a small bedroom.
                      (ref)




                      Spilling the mercury on to a hot surface (like a stove) will vaporize it quickly. Spilling it elsewhere will allow the vapors to accumulate more slowly. The liquid form is easily tracked through a house and hard to get rid of.




                      Inhalation of elemental mercury vapors is the main source of toxicity,
                      as mercury is well-absorbed through the lungs. Problems from
                      inhalation result either from a large one-time high exposure or a
                      long-term exposure. Long-term exposure of inhaled vapors is generally
                      more dangerous, with the nervous system being the primary target of
                      mercury toxicity. Symptoms may occur within weeks but usually develop
                      insidiously over a period of years. Neurologic symptoms include
                      tremors, headaches, short-term memory loss, incoordination, weakness,
                      loss of appetite, altered sense of taste and smell, numbness and
                      tingling in the hands and feet, insomnia, and excessive sweating.
                      Psychiatric effects are also seen after long-term exposure. The
                      kidneys can also be effected. Intense exposure to high concentrations
                      of mercury vapor can lead to severe respiratory damage
                      . (ref)




                      So there you have it. Organ damage from even short-term exposures. But not from being held in the hand. Consider that a frame challenge, that the substance you are imagining probably does not exist. But you can combine mercury in the hand with mercury spilling all over the place and creating fumes. Maybe try when the victim is locked into a sauna for an hour. There are many possibilities.







                      share|improve this answer














                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer








                      edited 33 mins ago

























                      answered 1 hour ago









                      CynCyn

                      11.4k12455




                      11.4k12455











                      • $begingroup$
                        Metallic mercury is not really all that dangerous. You can play with it, hold it in your hand, just don't eat it and don't overdo it. The danger comes from chronic exposure to mercury vapor. After all, it was used for thousands of years and it did not cause massive mortality... People of a certain age still remember when mercurcy thermometers were readily availale.
                        $endgroup$
                        – AlexP
                        3 mins ago

















                      • $begingroup$
                        Metallic mercury is not really all that dangerous. You can play with it, hold it in your hand, just don't eat it and don't overdo it. The danger comes from chronic exposure to mercury vapor. After all, it was used for thousands of years and it did not cause massive mortality... People of a certain age still remember when mercurcy thermometers were readily availale.
                        $endgroup$
                        – AlexP
                        3 mins ago
















                      $begingroup$
                      Metallic mercury is not really all that dangerous. You can play with it, hold it in your hand, just don't eat it and don't overdo it. The danger comes from chronic exposure to mercury vapor. After all, it was used for thousands of years and it did not cause massive mortality... People of a certain age still remember when mercurcy thermometers were readily availale.
                      $endgroup$
                      – AlexP
                      3 mins ago





                      $begingroup$
                      Metallic mercury is not really all that dangerous. You can play with it, hold it in your hand, just don't eat it and don't overdo it. The danger comes from chronic exposure to mercury vapor. After all, it was used for thousands of years and it did not cause massive mortality... People of a certain age still remember when mercurcy thermometers were readily availale.
                      $endgroup$
                      – AlexP
                      3 mins ago











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