poisonous substance; toxic substance; poison
General term for any substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. Used in scientific, legal, and everyday contexts.
There is a possibility that a poisonous substance was mixed in.
Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act
毒物 covers poisonous substances generally, including man-made chemicals, whereas 毒素 specifically means a naturally produced biological toxin.
毒物 is the poisonous substance itself, while 毒殺 is the act of killing someone with that substance.
Compound of 毒 (doku, 'poison') and 物 (butsu, 'thing, substance').