5. Mistakes to avoid

5.1 Don't limit your analysis to the classification category

The limits of the classification categories are quite broad, from 1 to 6 or 1 to 10. Two substances with a significant difference in LD50 values may therefore be classified in the same category, while substances with similar LD50 values may be classified in different categories. These administrative categories do not presume the actual toxicological properties of the substances tested. A substance classified as harmful with an LD50 of 310 mg/kg is still as dangerous as a substance classified as toxic with an LD50 of 290 mg/kg, whereas there is a significant difference in dangerousness between two substances classified as harmful, one of which has an LD50 of 300 mg/kg and the other of 2,000 mg/kg.