POISONS KIT: How they work | Perfect for scientific demonstration

POISONS KIT: How They Work

• This Poisons Kit demonstrates how the life of a cell depends upon the activity of specialised molecules (enzymes) which may be disrupted by the presence of poisons.
• Activities are included to permit observation of normal and abnormal conditions affecting enzyme activity.
• The effects of heavy metal poisons (lead or mercury ions) on enzyme activity are observed.

(Wikipedia excerpt: ..."A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broad sense.

Whether something is considered a poison or not may depend on the amount, the circumstances, and what living things are present. Poisoning could be accidental or deliberate, and if the cause can be identified there may be ways to neutralise the effects or minimise the symptoms.

In biology, a poison is a chemical substance causing death, injury or harm to organisms or their parts. In medicine, poisons are a kind of toxin that are delivered passively, not actively. In industry the term may be negative, something to be removed to make a thing safe, or positive, an agent to limit unwanted pests. In ecological terms, poisons introduced into the environment can later cause unwanted effects elsewhere, or in other parts of the food chain.