Irritant
Definition
A poison that inflames mucous membranes and gut lining without dissolving them outright. Includes inorganic irritants (arsenic, antimony, copper sulphate, phosphorus) and mechanical or chemical irritants of plant origin.
- Mechanism
- Inflames mucous membranes and gut lining
- Inorganic examples
- Arsenic, antimony, copper sulphate, phosphorus
- Organic examples
- Plant-derived mechanical or chemical irritants
- Classification level
- One category within poisons by mode of action
Common questions
How does an irritant poison differ from a corrosive one?+
A corrosive substance chemically dissolves and destroys tissue on contact, producing severe burns, while an irritant inflames the mucous membrane and gut lining without dissolving them outright, so the tissue damage in irritant poisoning is typically inflammatory rather than destructive.
Why does the origin of an irritant, inorganic versus plant-based, matter to a forensic toxicologist?+
The two groups require different analytical approaches: inorganic irritants like arsenic are detected by elemental techniques such as AAS or ICP-MS, while plant-derived irritants require organic extraction and chromatographic methods, so identifying the likely origin narrows which tests to run.
Related terms
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- Corrosive
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- Manner of Poisoning
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- Poison
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