If a product is labeled 'Caution Poison', what LD50 range does it correspond to?

• A. 500 - 1000
• B. 1000 - 2500
• C. <500
• D. 2500+

Answer: (B)

LD50 is the dose of a chemical per kilogram of body weight that would kill 50% of a test population. The label “Caution Poison” signals a toxicity level that is significant but not the most extreme. In pesticide labeling schemes, this designation lines up with an oral LD50 in the 1000–2500 mg/kg range: it’s toxic enough to require caution, but not so acutely toxic as the ranges under 500 mg/kg, nor as low in hazard as ranges above 2500 mg/kg. So the 1000–2500 mg/kg range best matches the label. The <500 mg/kg range would indicate a higher level of acute toxicity, and 2500+ mg/kg would indicate relatively low acute toxicity, not typically labeled as “Caution Poison.”