Chemistry

LD50 Info

  • LD50 stands for lethal dose 50%. This means the dose that has a 50% probability of causing death. Note that a higher LD50 means the substance is less toxic. Typical units are mg/kg, which means that the lethal dose in mg is divided by the animal mass in kg.

  • LC50, which is used for aquatic life, stands for lethal concentration 50%. This means the concentration (in the water) that has a 50% chance of causing death. Again, a higher LC50 means the substance is less toxic.

  • Both LD50 and LC50 measure acute (short-term) toxicity. Neither LD50 nor LC50 takes into account long-term effects such as carcinogenicity.

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