Toxin Inactivation and Destruction

Toxin / Chemical Inactivation
allow at least 30 mins for the inactivation of the toxin / Autoclaving / Dry Heat (oF)
inactivation of toxin by 10 minute exposure to various temperatures of dry heat
2.5% NaOCl + 0.25N NaOH / 2.5% NaOCl / 1.0% NaOCl / 0.1% NaOCl / 121oC for 1 hour, liquid cycle, slow exhaust / 200 / 500 / 1000 / 1500
Abrin / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES
Botulinum neurotoxins !-G (2 protein chain, multimetric) / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES
Conotoxin / YES / YES / YES / YES / ?NOT RECOMMENDED / YES / YES / YES / YES
Clostridium perfringes epsilon toxin / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES
Diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) / YES / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / YES
Ricin (2 protein chain, multimeric) / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES
Saxitoxin / YES / YES / YES / YES / NO / NO / YES / YES / YES
Shigatoxin and Shiga-like ribosome inactivating proteins / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES
Staphylococcal enterotoxins / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES / YES
Tetrodotoxin / YES / YES / YES / NO / NO / NO / YES / YES / YES
T-2 Toxin / YES / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / YES

NaOCl = Sodium hypochlorite

NaOH = Sodium hydroxide

Recommendations:

  1. For complete inactivation of T-2 mycotoxins , all liquid samples, accidental spills, and non-burnable waste be soaked in 2.5% sodium hypochlorite with 0.25N sodium hydroxide for 4 hours.1
  2. Inactivation for saxitoxin, tetrodotoxin, ricin, botulinum toxin, or staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEB), exposure of 30 minutes to 1% sodium hypochlorite is an effect procedure for working solutions, equipment, working area and spills.1
  3. Autoclaving can be used for protein toxins, i.e. ricin, botulinum toxin, and SEB, but should not be used with any of the low molecular toxins.

References:

  1. Wannemacher R.W. 1989. Procedures for Inactivation and Safety Containment of Toxins. Proc. Symposium on Agents of Biological Origin, U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Center, Aberdeen proving Ground, MD. pp. 115-122
  2. Factsheets on Chemical and Biological Warfare:Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxins,
  3. Factsheets on Chemical and Biological Warfare: Conotoxin
  4. Factsheets on Chemical and Biological Warfare: Verotoxin
  5. Factsheets on Chemical and Biological Warfare:SEB
  6. Factsheets on Chemical and Biological Warfare:Saxitoxin
  7. Factsheets on Chemical and Biological Warfare:Tetrodotoxin
  8. Dr. Jack Dwayne Thrasher, An Introduction to Trichothecens,
  9. Fact Sheet from IPCS INCHEM
  10. EHS Office, University of Pennsylvania, Destruction of Select Agents Procedures,
  11. EHS Office, University of Iowa, UI Requirements for Possession of Exempt Quantities of CDC Select Agent Toxins, 11/2008,

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