Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor

Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor

Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor
Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor

You must have heard about cyanide, it is known as the most dangerous poison. But do you know how a cyanide is a chemical, how many types are there, what is cyanide poisoning, how does cyanide affect the body, etc. Let's study through this article.

What is Cyanide?

Cyanide is a potentially deadly chemical that may be present in various forms. This chemical compound is a cohesive CN group, also known as Cyano Group. A carbon atom is attached to a nitrogen atom by triple bonds. This hazardous substance can also be a colorless gas such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) or cyanogen chloride (CNCl), or crystal forms such as sodium cyanide (NaCN) or potassium cyanide (KCN). Let us tell you that organic cyanides are also often called nitriles.

Now the question arises, are all cyanides dangerous?

Not all cyanides are dangerous. But there are some cyanides that are deadly such as sodium cyanide (NaCN), potassium cyanide (KCN), hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and cyanogen chloride (CNCL). Also, there are some nitrile compounds that contain cyanide groups but are not toxic. They are also used in some medicines. For example Citalopram (Celexa), Cimetidine (Tegamate) etc.

What amount of cyanide can be fatal?

How and how much cyanide is being taken in the body and how long the person is exposed to it depends on how mortal or how much effect it will have. Let us tell you that instead of swallowing the poison, it is more harmful or fatal if inhaled. Inhalation of 2,000 parts of hydrogen cyanide per million can result in death within one minute and weighing 1-3 mg per kg, calculated as hydrogen cyanide. It is said that if a small amount of cyanide has gone inside the body, the effect will occur after a few hours or a few days. If it is consumed in excess in the body, its effect is immediate. Cyanide less than 1 mg is not very dangerous, but if more than 3 grams is present, immediate death can occur.

Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor
Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor

Does apple seed contain cyanide?

Cyanide piecing and its symptoms:
Taking cyanide is called cyanide piecing. Cyanide piecing can be a little difficult to detect because its symptoms resemble many symptoms in the throat and knee. Cells are unable to use oxygen when cyanide enters the body and we all know that oxygen is essential to keep cells alive.

Other symptoms are:


  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Vomiting
  • Sleep more
  • Feeling confused and behaving strangely
  • head spin
  • Stomach ache
  • Coma etc.
  • Immediately spreading cyanide in the body can also cause a heart attack


Is it possible to treat it?

If cyanide gets into the lungs in high doses, instant death can occur and treatment is not possible. But if cyanide is used as a chemical weapon depends on its quantity.
If cyanide enters the body through the respiratory tract, the person is taken into the open air, treated and vitamin B12 naturally found in the body makes cyanocobalamin and is removed from the urine. is. It is not necessary that the person is fully cured even after treatment, any organ affected by poison can stop lowering due to which paralysis can occur or the person may go into coma. It can be said that the effect of cyanide poisoning can be reduced by giving medicines.

In how many ways is cyanide found?

Cyanide is found in all three forms: solid, liquid and gas. If we talk about hydrogen cyanide, at room temperature it is found as a colorless liquid and at higher temperatures as a colorless gas, sodium cyanide or potassium cyanide are found in powder form.

Do you know where cyanide is found?

Cyanide is found in more than 100 plants such as almonds, bamboo, corns, lima beans, allu, cotton etc. It is also found in some fruits like pear, plum, apple seed, apricot and cherry etc. Apart from this, it is also found in cigarette smoke, burning coal, plastic etc. Many algae, fungi and bacteria are also known to produce cyanide as a byproduct of their metabolic activities.

Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor
Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor

Where is the use of cyanide?

It is used in making paper, clothes and plastics, cyanide salts are also used in removing gold from ore, cleaning metals and electroplating. Although cyanide is highly toxic, it is one of the most common chemicals that is also widely used in various industries. For example, cyanide is required in the manufacture of plastics, textiles and paper. Not only this, chemicals are also commonly used for photograph development, including cyanide.


  • Cyanide can never move up the food chain. This means that, e.g. If a fish gets cyanide piecing, then eating that fish will not cause cyanide poisoning to any human or animal.
  • It is not that only microorganisms and plants produce cyanide. There are many insects that also produce this chemical. For example, millipedes, moths, beetles, centipedes and even butterflies are known to synthesize and remove cyanide as a defensive chemical.
  • Sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide are in the form of white powder which may have a bitter almond-like odor.
  • Other chemicals called cyanogen can also produce cyanide.
  • Cyanogen chloride is a colorless liquefied gas that is heavier than air and has a strong odor.


So now you have come to know what is cyanide and how many types are there as well as what is found in it and where it is used.
Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor Interesting facts about Cyanide | Science Tutor Reviewed by Anoop Kumar Sharma on February 24, 2020 Rating: 5

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