Cyanide toxicology

Norris, J.C., S.J.Moore, and A.S.Hume. 1986. Synergistic lethality induced by combination of carbon monoxide and cyanide. Toxicology 40(2) 121—130. 

Ballantyne, B., Salem, H. (2008). Cyanides toxicology, clinical presentation, and medical management. In Chemical Warfare Agents Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, 2nd edition (J.A. Romano, Jr., B.J. Lukey, H. Salem, eds), pp. 313-32. CRC Press/Taylor Francis Group, LLC, Boca Raton. 

Cyanides Toxicology, Clinical Presentation, and Medical Management... 

B. Ballantyne and H. Salem, Cyanides Toxicology, Clinical Presentation, and Medical Management, in Chemical Warfare Agents, Chemistry,... 

Acrylonitrile is beheved to behave similarly to hydrogen cyanide (enzyme inhibition of cellular metaboHsm) (150) and is befleved to be a potential carcinogen (151). It can also affect the cardiovascular system and kidney and Hver functions (150). Eurther information on the toxicology and human exposure to acrylonitrile is available (152—154) (see Acrylonitrile). 

Formation of cyanide by degradation of hydantoia derivatives used as antiseptics for water treatment has been described (84), and this fact might have toxicological relevance. 

Cyanide complexes have a venerable history (see CCC S )),1 and find utilization in many industrial processes including as synthetic catalysts e.g., Co cyanides on inorganic supports catalyze alkylene oxide polymerization,187 molecular magnetic materials, in electroplating, and in mining. Their pharmacology and toxicology is well explored... 

The basis for the toxicological activity of this substance is the reaction of cobalt ion with cyanide ion to form a relatively nontoxic and stable ion complex. The hexacyanocobaltate ion contains a Co2+ central metal ion with six cyanide ions as ligands. This coordination complex involves six coordinate covalent bonds whereby each cyanide ion supplies a pair of electrons to form each covalent bond with the central cobalt ion. The formation constant for the hexacyanocobaltate ion is even larger than for dicobalt EDTA,3 and thus the cobalt ion preferentially exchanges an EDTA ligand for six cyano ligands ... 

Dudley HC, Neal PA. 1942. Toxicology of acrylonitrile (vinyl cyanide) I. A study of the acute toxicity. Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology 24 27 - 36. 

Matthews RD. 1980. Estimated permissible levels, ambient concentrations, and adverse effects of the nitrogenous products of combustion the cyanides, nitroolefins, and nitroparaffins. Journal of Combustion Toxicology 7 157-172. 

Levin, B.C. Paabo, M. Gurman, J.L. Clark, H.M. Yoklavich, M.F. Further Studies of the Toxicological Effects of Different Time Exposures to the Individual and Combined Fire Gases-Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen Cyanide, Carbon Dioxide and Reduced Oxygen, Polyurethane 88. Proceedings of the 31— SPI Conference. Philadelphia, PA, 1988, p. 249-252. 

Hartzell, G.E. Stacy, H.W. Switzer, W.G. Priest, D.N. "Modeling of Toxicological Effects of Fire Gases V. Mathematical Modeling Intoxication of Rats by Combined Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen Cyanide Atmospheres," J. Fire Sciences 1985, 3(5), 330-342. 

Toxicological Profile for Cyanide. Washington, DC Government Printing Office, 1997. 

Complex cyanides are compounds in which the cyanide anion is incorporated into a complex or complexes. These compounds are different in chemical and toxicologic properties from simple cyanides. In solution, the stability of the cyanide complex varies with the type of cation and the complex that it forms. Some of these are dissociable in weak acids to give free cyanide and a cation, while other complexes require much stronger acidic conditions for dissociation. The least-stable complex metallocyanides include Zn(CN)42 , Cd(CN)3 , and Cd(CN)42 moderately stable complexes include Cu(CN)2, Cu(CN)32, Ni(CN)42, and Ag(CN)2 and the most stable complexes include Fe(CN)64, and Co(CN)6. The toxicity of complex cyanides is usually related to their ability to release cyanide ions in solution, which then enter into an equilibrium with HCN relatively small fluctuations in pH significantly affect their biocidal properties. 

Much of the toxicological interest in cyanide relating to mammals has focused on its rapid lethal action. However, its most widely distributed toxicologic problems are due to its toxicity from dietary, industrial, and environmental factors (Way 1981, 1984 Gee 1987 Marrs and Ballantyne 1987 Eisler 1991). Chronic exposure to cyanide is correlated with specific human diseases Nigerian nutritional neuropathy, Leber s optical atrophy, retrobulbar neuritis, pernicious anemia, tobacco amblyopia, cretinism, and ataxic tropical neuropathy (Towill etal. 1978 Way 1981 Sprine etal. 1982 Beminger et al. 1989 Ukhun and Dibie 1989). The effects of chronic cyanide intoxication are confounded by various nutritional factors, such as dietary deficiencies of sulfur-containing amino acids, proteins, and water-soluble vitamins (Way 1981). 

Ballantyne, B. 1987a. Toxicology of cyanides. Pages 41-126 in B. Ballantyne and T.C. Marrs (eds.). Clinical and Experimental Toxicology of Cyanides. Wright, Bristol. 

Ballantyne, B. 1988. Toxicology and hazard evaluation of cyanide fumigation powders. Clin. Toxicol. 26 325-335. 

Leduc, G. 1984. Cyanides in water toxicological significance. Pages 153-224 in L.J. Weber (ed.). Aquatic Toxicology, Vol. 2. Raven Press, New York. 

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