{"id":883,"date":"2006-06-07T21:36:17","date_gmt":"2006-06-08T04:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalterroralert.com\/readyguide\/cyanide\/"},"modified":"2007-06-02T23:52:23","modified_gmt":"2007-06-03T06:52:23","slug":"cyanide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nationalterroralert.com\/cyanide\/","title":{"rendered":"Facts about Cyanide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Facts about Cyanide<br \/>\n  <br \/>\n  <\/font><\/strong><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bt.cdc.gov\/agent\/lung\/cyanide\/cyanide-facts.pdf\">Download<br \/>\n  PDF version formatted for print<\/a><strong><\/strong><font color=\"#666666\">(44<br \/>\n  KB\/4 pages)<\/font><strong> <\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\" face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"><strong>What cyanide is<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide is a rapidly<br \/>\n    acting, potentially deadly chemical that can exist in various forms.<\/font>\n  <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide can be a colorless<br \/>\n    gas, such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) or cyanogen chloride (CNCl), or a crystal<br \/>\n    form such as sodium cyanide (NaCN) or potassium cyanide (KCN).<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide gas sometimes<br \/>\n    is described as having a \u201cbitter almond\u201d smell, but it does not always give<br \/>\n    off an odor, and not everyone can detect this odor.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide is also known<br \/>\n    by the military designations AN (for hydrogen cyanide) and CK (for cyanogen<br \/>\n    chloride).<\/font> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"><br \/>\n  <strong>Where cyanide is found and how it is used<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide is naturally<br \/>\n    present in some foods and in certain plants such as cassava. Cyanide is contained<br \/>\n    in cigarette smoke and the combustion products of synthetic materials such<br \/>\n    as plastics. Combustion products are substances given off when things burn.<\/font>\n  <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">In manufacturing, cyanide<br \/>\n    is used to make paper, textiles, and plastics. It is present in the chemicals<br \/>\n    used to develop photographs. Cyanide salts are used in metallurgy for electroplating,<br \/>\n    metal cleaning, and removing gold from its ore. Cyanide gas is used to exterminate<br \/>\n    pests and vermin in ships and buildings. <\/font><\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">If accidentally ingested<br \/>\n    (swallowed), chemicals found in acetonitrile-based products that are used<br \/>\n    to remove artificial nails can produce cyanide.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Hydrogen cyanide, under<br \/>\n    the name Zyklon B, was used as a genocidal agent by the Germans in World War<br \/>\n    II.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Reports have indicated<br \/>\n    that during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, hydrogen cyanide gas may have<br \/>\n    been used along with other chemical agents against the inhabitants of the<br \/>\n    Kurdish city of Halabja in northern Iraq.<br \/>\n    &nbsp;<\/font><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"><strong>How people can be<br \/>\n  exposed to cyanide<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide enters water,<br \/>\n    soil, or air as a result of both natural processes and industrial activities.<br \/>\n    In air, cyanide is present mainly as gaseous hydrogen cyanide. <\/font><\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">People may be exposed<br \/>\n    to cyanide by breathing air, drinking water, eating food, or touching soil<br \/>\n    that contains cyanide. <\/font><\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Smoking cigarettes is<br \/>\n    probably one of the major sources of cyanide exposure for people who do not<br \/>\n    work in cyanide-related industries.<\/font> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"><br \/>\n  <strong>How cyanide works<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Poisoning caused by cyanide<br \/>\n    depends on the amount of cyanide a person is exposed to, the route of exposure,<br \/>\n    and the length of time that a person is exposed.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Breathing cyanide gas<br \/>\n    causes the most harm, but ingesting cyanide can be toxic as well.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide gas is most dangerous<br \/>\n    in enclosed places where the gas will be trapped.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide gas evaporates<br \/>\n    and disperses quickly in open spaces, making it less harmful outdoors.<\/font>\n  <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide gas is less dense<br \/>\n    than air, so it will rise.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide prevents the<br \/>\n    cells of the body from getting oxygen. When this happens, the cells die.<\/font>\n  <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide is more harmful<br \/>\n    to the heart and brain than other organs because the heart and brain use a<br \/>\n    lot of oxygen.<\/font> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"><strong> Immediate signs<br \/>\n  and symptoms of cyanide exposure<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">People exposed to a small<br \/>\n    amount of cyanide by breathing it, absorbing it through their skin, or eating<br \/>\n    foods that contain it may have some or all of the following symptoms within<br \/>\n    minutes:<\/font> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Rapid breathing<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"> Restlessness<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Dizziness<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Weakness<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Headache<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Nausea and vomiting<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Rapid heart rate<br \/>\n        <\/font><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Exposure to a large amount<br \/>\n    of cyanide by any route may cause these other health effects as well:<\/font> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Convulsions<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Low blood pressure<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Slow heart rate<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Loss of consciousness<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Lung injury<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Respiratory failure<br \/>\n        leading to death<\/font> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"><strong>What the long-term<br \/>\n  health effects may be<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>  Survivors of serious cyanide poisoning may develop delayed neurological effects,<br \/>\n  most commonly symptoms resembling Parkinson\u2019s disease.<br \/>\n  &nbsp;<\/font><\/p>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"><strong> How people can<br \/>\n  protect themselves and what they should do if they are exposed to cyanide<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">First, get fresh air<br \/>\n    by leaving the area where the cyanide was released. Moving to an area with<br \/>\n    fresh air is a good way to reduce the possibility of death from exposure to<br \/>\n    cyanide gas.<\/font> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">If the cyanide release<br \/>\n        was outside, move away from the area where the cyanide was released. <\/font><\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">If the cyanide release<br \/>\n        was indoors, get out of the building. <\/font><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">If leaving the area that<br \/>\n    was exposed to cyanide is not an option, stay as low to the ground as possible.<\/font>\n  <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Remove any clothing that<br \/>\n    has liquid cyanide on it. If possible, seal the clothing in a plastic bag,<br \/>\n    and then seal that bag inside a second plastic bag.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Rinse the eyes with plain<br \/>\n    water for 10 to 15 minutes if they are burning or vision is blurred.<\/font>\n  <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Wash any liquid cyanide<br \/>\n    from the skin thoroughly with soap and water.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">If cyanide is known to<br \/>\n    be ingested (swallowed), do not induce vomiting or give fluids to drink. Seek<br \/>\n    medical attention right away.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Stay calm. Dial 911 and<br \/>\n    explain what has happened.<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Wait for emergency personnel<br \/>\n    to arrive.<\/font> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"><strong><br \/>\n  How cyanide poisoning is treated<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Cyanide poisoning is treated<br \/>\n  with antidotes and supportive medical care. The most important thing is for<br \/>\n  victims to seek medical treatment as soon as possible.<\/font><\/p>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\"><br \/>\n  <strong>How people can get more information about cyanide<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<p><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">People can contact one of<br \/>\n  the following:<\/font><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Regional poison control<br \/>\n    center (1-800-222-1222)<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Centers for Disease Control<br \/>\n    and Prevention Public Response Hotline (CDC)<\/font> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">English (888) 246-2675<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Espa\u00f1ol (888) 246-2857<\/font>\n      <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">TTY (866) 874-2646<br \/>\n        <\/font><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Agency for Toxic Substances<br \/>\n    and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (1-888-422-8737)<\/font> <\/li>\n<li><font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=\"2\">Centers for Disease Control<br \/>\n    and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health<br \/>\n    (NIOSH), <em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/niosh\/npg\/npgd0000.html\">Pocket<br \/>\n    Guide to Chemical Hazards<\/a><\/em> (http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/niosh\/npg\/npgd0000.html)<br \/>\n    <\/font><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Facts about Cyanide Download PDF version formatted for print(44 KB\/4 pages) What cyanide is Cyanide is a rapidly acting, potentially deadly chemical that can exist in various forms. Cyanide can be a colorless gas, such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) or cyanogen chloride (CNCl), or a crystal form such as sodium cyanide (NaCN) or potassium cyanide [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationalterroralert.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/883"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationalterroralert.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationalterroralert.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationalterroralert.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationalterroralert.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=883"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nationalterroralert.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/883\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationalterroralert.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}