Why is cyanide toxic?

On April 30, 1945, Heinz Linge and Martin Bormann entered Hitler's quarters in the Berlin bunker as Soviet troops were advancing from the west. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue The scent of burnt almonds and lack of visible wounds indicated that Eva Braun had died by taking hydrogen cyanide (Hitler died by gunshot).

In doing so, they witnessed one of the most famous suicides in modern history. Hydrogen cyanide was first synthesised in 1752 by the French chemist Pierre Macquer and became known as prussic acid, derived from the German word for "blue acid". It's one of a number of deadly cyanide chemicals such as sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide.



Half a gram of cyanide swallowed would be lethal to a 70kg adult. Picture Shutterstock There are some surprising things about hydrogen cyanide. One is that, even though it's immensely toxic, it's produced worldwide on an industrial scale for use in processes such as gold and silver mining, for electroplating and for fumigation.

Cyanide also occurs naturally in small quantities in many places, such as in nuts and cassava. It's found in the seeds of cherries, apricots, peaches, and apples. It's in lima beans, soy, millipedes and in burnet moths.

It occurs in vehicle exhaust and from burning some types of plastics. Cyanide is even a byproduct of metabolism in the human body and is exhaled in tiny amounts with every breath. While most of these sources are obviously common, the most likely exposure is from tobacco smoke.

MORE ASK FUZZY: What is a sphygmomanometer? How do we fight friction? Is tossing a coin truly random? The toxicity of cyanide arises because it disrupts the body's energy system. By blocking a cell's ability to make energy molecules with oxygen, it can deprive critical tissues such as heart muscle and nerve cells. With sufficient exposure, the result is rapid and fatal.

Less severe symptoms include headache, dizziness and difficulty breathing. Because it's relatively common in the environment, the body can detoxify the small amounts in seeds and even in cigarettes. The amount of cyanide to be dangerous depends on the dose and how it enters the body.

Inhaling is a greater risk than ingesting, and skin contact is even less so. A rough estimate is that half a gram of cyanide swallowed would be lethal to a 70kg adult. Fortunately, there are treatments for cyanide poisoning.

One includes activated charcoal to absorb and clear the toxin. Then there are several antidotes such as vitamin B12. The Fuzzy Logic Science Show is at 11am Sundays on 2xx 98.

3FM. Send your questions to [email protected]; Podcast: FuzzyLogicOn2xx.

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