What is cyanide? What are the effects of cyanide? Why does cyanide kill? Why is cyanide poisonous? What you need to know about the chemical compound cyanide, which we have heard frequently about suicide cases lately.
Cyanide -cyano group (-C≡N)- is the name given to chemical compounds containing one carbon and three nitrogens attached to that carbon. There are organic and inorganic types. Its organic compounds are named under the nitrile group and most of them are far from poisonous. The poisonous ones are the inorganic ones.
It is a harmful substance that can be seen in any way. It can be seen in gaseous form, such as hydrocyanic acid, or it can be preserved as a solid, such as potassium/sodium cyanide.
It is one of the most dangerous poisons known. 0.2 g of cyanide can cause the death of a 70 kg person within a few minutes. Like carbon monoxide, it causes death through cellular asphyxia.
It is also used in the metallurgical industry (especially mining). It can react and interact with metals and organic substances. It is secreted by some bacteria, fungal species and algae species in the natural environment as well as obtained in the laboratory environment, and some nutrients and plants also contain low amounts of cyanide. (cherries, almonds, apricots, peaches, plums, beans, potatoes, radishes, cabbage, turnips, broccoli, corn…)
It passes into the body through breathing, water and food, and contact (touch). After passing into the body, it reaches the circulatory system extremely quickly. Cyanide taken in harmless amounts leaves the body through the excretory and respiratory systems within the first 24 hours. A very surprising feature is that some of the cyanide taken in very low amounts is converted into vitamin B12 in the body.
546 ppm (ml/l) cyanide, after 10 minutes; 110 ppm cyanide will make you change your world after 1 hour. The first symptom of cyanide poisoning is the need to breathe quickly and deeply and respiratory failure occurs. Then you will experience convulsions and mental loss. The duration and severity of symptoms vary depending on the amount of poison you are exposed to. No matter how you ingest this poison (inhalation, food or contact), the symptoms are almost the same. If there is skin contact, itching, irritation and wounds on the skin are the most obvious symptoms.