Cyanide in cigarette smoke

Artho, A.J. and R. Koch tJber die Bestimmung von Cyanwasserstoff im Cigarettenrauch [On the determination of hydrogen cyanide in cigarette smoke] Beitr. Tabakforsch. 5 (1964) 58-63. 

Cigarette Components, Ltd. The determination of hydrogen cyanide in cigarette smoke Cigarette Components, Ltd. Pamphlet pp. 1-8 (March, 1964). 

Graham, B., K. Wagner, and D. Champaneri Analysis of ammonia and cyanide in cigarette smoke, total alkaloids, ammonia, nitrates, and reducing sugars in tobacco filler with an automated spectrophotometer ... 

Rodgman, A. and L.C. Cook Treatment of 44X fine-cured tobacco with hydrogen cyanide Its effect on hydrogen cyanide in cigarette smoke RDM, 1967, No. 52, September 14 [Paper XLI in the series The analysis of cigarette smoke condensate], see www.ijrtdocs.com 521188989 -8994. 

Sloan, C.H. Coulometric determination of hydrogen cyanide in cigarette smoke 32nd Tobacco Chemists Research Conference, Program Booklet and Abstracts, Vol. 32, Paper No. 33, 1978, p. 18 Beitr. Tabakforsch. Int. 10(1980) 106-110. 

Taylor, M.J. and J.F. Graham Simultaneous quantitative determination of formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide in cigarette smoke using a simple solid trapping system CORESTA 1986 Symp., Taormina, Italy, CORESTA Inf. Bull., Spec. Edition 1986 Paper ST09, 104-105. 

Reported levels of cyanide in tobacco smoke are quite variable. Cyanide levels in mainstream (inhaled) smoke from U.S. commercial cigarettes have been reported to range from 10 to 400 pg per cigarette, with the ratio of cyanide concentration in sidestream smoke to mainstream smoke ranging from 0.006 to 0.27... 

Among them are carbon monoxide, cyanide, benzopyrene, and tar, the same toxic chemicals present in cigarette smoke. (Some researchers feel that any beneficial effects that may be found in the medicinal use of marijuana are actually negated by the current lack of a suitable alternative delivery method.) Additionally, any pesticides sprayed on the plant by the grower are present in the smoke, and are inhaled along with the THC. 

Andrews, M.N. and J.H. Reynolds TV Tobacco additives for reduction of carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and oxides of nitrogen in cigarette smoke RDR, 1971, No. 17, August 5, see www.rjrtdocs.com 514902044 -2055. 

Reif, H. The use of the ion-selective electrode for cyanide determination in cigarette smoke Fachliche Mitt. 

Cyanide is naturally present in some foods and in certain plants such as cassava. Cyanide is contained in cigarette smoke and the combustion products of synthetic materials such as plastics. Combustion products are substances given off when things burn. 

Carbon monoxide is a key component of fuel mixtures and is widely used in the production of methanol, formaldehyde, and other major industrial compounds. When inhaled in cigarette smoke or polluted air, it enters the blood and binds strongly to the Ee(II) in hanoglobin, preventing the normal binding of Oj. The cyanide ion (CN ), which is isoelectronic with CO,... 

There is a test that can detect acrylonitrile in blood. In addition, the major breakdown products of acrylonitrile by the body (termed metabolites) can be measured in urine. Some breakdown products that can be measured are specific to acrylonitrile. However, one breakdown product of the body (cyanide) that is commonly measured is not specific to acrylonitrile exposure, and the results can be affected by cigarette smoking. Because special equipment is needed, these tests cannot be performed routinely in your doctor s office. There is not enough information at present to use the results of such tests to predict the nature or severity of any health effects that may result from exposure to acrylonitrile. Further information on how acrylonitrile can be measured in exposed humans is presented in Chapters 2 and 6. 

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is a colorless, rapidly acting, highly poisonous gas or liquid that has an odor of bitter almonds. Most HCN is used as an intermediate at the site of production. Major uses include the manufacture of nylons, plastics, and fumigants. Exposures to HCN may occur in industrial situations as well as from cigarette smoke, combustion products, and naturally occurring cyanide compounds in foods. Sodium nitroprusside (Na2[Fe(CN)5 N0]-2H20), which has been used as an antihypertensive in humans, breaks down into nonionized HCN. 

A susceptible population will exhibit a different or enhanced response to cyanide than will most persons exposed to the same level of cyanide in the environment. Reasons may include genetic makeup, age, health and nutritional status, and exposure to other toxic substances (e.g., cigarette smoke). These parameters may result in reduced detoxification or excretion of cyanide, or compromised function of target organs affected by cyanide. Populations who are at greater risk due to their unusually high exposure to cyanide are discussed in Section 5.6, Populations With Potentially High Exposure. 

Cyanide in the body is biotransformed to thiocyanate quickly. People may also be exposed to thiocyanate from dietary, industrial, and medical sources. The plasma concentration of thiocyanate has also been used as an index of long-term exposure to cigarette smoke (Liu and Yun 1993). Some authors have determined thiocyanate in body fluids as a measure of cyanide exposure, while others measure cyanide concentrations in body fluids as a measure of cyanide exposure. 

Cyanide and thiocyanate are normal constituents of blood (77). Sources of cyanide include some foods, for example, cyanogenic glycosides in bitter almonds, fruit seeds, and a number of plants, cigarette smoke, and smoke from fires. The blood concentration of cyanide in healthy subjects was... 

Kage et al. (75) applied their GC/ECD/GC/MS method to the analysis of blood levels in two casualties who died from cyanide poisoning. Blood levels of cyanide and thiocyanate in a subject who died following ingestion of sodium cyanide were 0.52 and 0.10 umol/ml respectively (= 13 and 5.6 xg/ml). Levels determined in a fatal victim of smoke inhalation were 0.28 and 0.13umol respectively (= 7.3 and 7.5 xg/ml). Fatal levels of cyanide are estimated as 0.05-0.1 umol/ml (= 1.3-2.6 xg/ml). The lower levels of thiocyanate in comparison to cyanide in the blood were attributed to the sudden death they were twice the mean levels ( 0.06 pmol/ml) found in cigarette smokers. 2-Aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid was detected in the urine of moderate cigarette smokers at concentrations between <0.3-1.1 xM (76). 

Trace amounts of cyanide are present normally in healthy people. The cyanide probably comes from the breakdown of cyanogenic food, from bacterial actions in the gastrointestinal tract, or from inhaled cigarette smoke (Ansell and Lewis 1970). 

Retrospective identification of cyanide poisoning in a CW context would be complicated by exposure from other sources, which include cigarette smoke, smoke from fires and some foods, e.g. cyanogenic glycosides in bitter almonds, fruit seeds and a number of plants. Quoted blood concentrations in non-smokers vary from a few ng/ml to >100 ng/ml. In nine fire victims, the concentrations determined were 687 597 ng/ml (Ishii et al., 1998). In smokers, cyanide levels in blood may rise to 500 ng/ml. 2-Aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid was detected in the urine of moderate cigarette smokers at concentrations between < 44-162 ng/ml (Lundquist et al., 1995). 

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