Polite Dissent

Ex Machina #19 “March to War, Chapter 3“
Brian K. Vaughan, writer
Tony Harris, penciler

Ricin was implicated as the poison in Ex Machina #17, #18 and now continuing into #19. As I explained in a previous post, I don’t really think that ricin fits the scenario, and based on the comments, others agree. Still, let’s go with the story and assume the poison gas was ricin.

In Ex Machina #19, Mayor Hundred asks the local Jewish leader for some assistance. He is under the impression that acetone is used in the extraction of ricin from castor beans and he knows that the diamond industry uses this chemical. He asks the rabbi to see if any of his parishoners have sold any acetone.

I have several problems with this:

• First, despite the impression given in the story, acetone is very easy to come by. For small quantities, just pick up some nail polish remover. If larger quantities are needed, there are easy and less suspicious ways of obtaining it than dealing with the diamond inudustry. It is a common industrial agent and used in the manufacture of polymers such as polyurethane. It can be found in large quantities in most high school and college chemistry labs (I remember our chemistry teacher had a huge drum of the stuff). If all else fails, acetone is easy to order on the internet.
• Second, experts cast doubt on the idea that acetone can actually be used in the extraction and purification of ricin. I’ll admit I’m not a chemistry expert, but I’ve talked this over with people who are. There is a recipe floating around the internet on how to make ricin. I’m not going to provide a link to it (because I’ve probably already set off enough red flags with this post as is), but it’s not at all hard to find with some decent Google skills. The recipe involves castor beans, lye, and acetone. Chemistry and security experts say the recipe doesn’t work and the lye and acetone serve no useful purpose in extracting the toxin. Acccording to other sources I’ve read, ricin extraction is a fairly complex procedure and definitely not “kitchen chemistry.”
• I’m suspicious of the recipe as well, given the last paragraph:
  

  The powder you have made is tasteless and odorless. It can be sprinkled into soup or placed in a drink or inhaled. It takes about 3-4 days to act and when it does the guy will be dead within a week. The death is slow and painful as this poison attacks the blood and internal organs starting with the digestive tract. The cure is rare and expensive and the poison is almost impossible to detect.

  Ricin is odorless and colorless, but the time course given is wrong. There is also no antidote, not even an expensive one. These basic errors lead me to believe that the author of this recipe dosen’t really have any idea what they’re talking about.

Somwhere in New York City, I’m certain that there’s a chemisty professor or professional chemist who can provide Mayor Hundred with some actually useful information. I suggest he look them up.