Cyanide

What is cyanide?

Cyanide is a fast-acting, potentially deadly chemical that prevents the cells of the body from using oxygen properly. When this happens, the cells die. Cyanide is released from natural substances found in some foods and in certain plants. Cyanide is in cigarette smoke and the substances released when materials, such as some plastics, burn. Cyanide is used for electroplating and polishing metals; extracting ores; manufacturing paper, textiles and plastics; developing photographs; fumigating ships and buildings, and as a chemical reagent.

Cyanide can exist in different forms. One form is hydrogen cyanide, which is a liquid or colorless gas. It has a “bitter almond” smell – an odor that may not be easily recognized. Other forms of cyanide include sodium and potassium cyanide, cyanogen and cyanogen chloride.

How can I be exposed to cyanide?

You can be exposed to cyanide if you –

• breathe air, drink water, eat food or touch soil that contains the chemical,
• smoke cigarettes or are exposed to second-hand smoke,
• are exposed to house or building fires,
• eat foods, such as pits from apricots, cherries, plums and peaches, that contain high levels of cyanide-releasing chemicals,
• work in an industry that uses or manufactures cyanide compounds, or
• live near hazardous waste sites or industries that use or manufacture this chemical.

How can cyanide affect my health?

The health effects of cyanide will depend on the amount and length of time to which you are exposed. People who come into contact with a small amount of cyanide may have some or all of the following symptoms within minutes: rapid breathing, dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting and a rapid heart rate. Exposure to a large amount of cyanide also may cause convulsions, loss of consciousness and death resulting from respiratory arrest. Survivors of serious cyanide poisoning may develop heart and brain damage. Workers exposed to cyanide for a prolonged period also have experienced blood and thyroid changes.

How can I reduce my exposure to cyanide?

Workers can reduce their exposure to cyanide by –

• wearing proper safety clothes and equipment,
• following workplace safety rules, and
• having proper training if a cyanide spill or release were to take place.

You can reduce your exposure to cyanide in household products by –

• not smoking tobacco (cigarettes) and avoiding any second-hand smoke,
• avoiding smoke and fumes produced from the burning of materials, and
• not eating pits of common fruit seeds (apricots, apples, cherries, peaches, plums) that contain increased levels of cyanide-releasing chemicals.

What should be done if someone is exposed to cyanide?

If you or someone you know is showing symptoms of cyanide poisoning, you should seek medical attention immediately. Call 911 or the Illinois Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.

• Move to fresh air if you are near a cyanide release. If cyanide is accidentally released from a nearby industry, follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Remove any contaminated clothing and flush the exposed skin or eyes with large amounts of water. Try to avoid touching contaminated areas. Discard any contaminated clothing to avoid secondary exposure.
• If cyanide has been swallowed, do not induce vomiting. If the victim is alert, showing no symptoms of cyanide poisoning and has a gag reflex, give them activated charcoal to swallow.

Where can one get more information about cyanide?

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Environmental Health
525 West Jefferson Street
Springfield, Illinois 62761
217-782-5830
TTY (hearing impaired use only) 800-547-0466
www.idph.state.il.us

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/cyanide/index.asp

Illinois Poison Center
http://www.mchc.org/ipc/

Toxic Substances Portal - Cyanide
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=71&tid=19

This fact sheet was supported in part by funds from the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act trust fund through a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Public Health Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.