Analytical techniques for cyanide in blood and published blood cyanide concentrations from healthy subjects and fire victims

Hydrogen cyanide can be produced by the pyrolysis of man-made polymers. Cyanide has been measured in the blood of healthy adults as well as the blood of fire survivors and fatalities. In healthy subjects the blood cyanide concentration of smokers is higher than that of non-smokers. Fire survivors and fatalities have been found to have higher cyanide levels than of control groups and the levels from fire fatalities are often higher than survivors. Blood concentrations quoted as normal, toxic or fatal are highly variable in the literature. Many studies have been performed to measure the blood cyanide levels in control subjects as well as those who have been exposed to fire but the values found differ. The values for control subjects can vary from none detected to 19 μmol dm⁻³ while those for fire survivors range from not detected to 150 μmol dm⁻³ and fatalities range from not detected to 284 μmol dm⁻³. Analytical techniques and published data are critically reviewed.Many of the existing antidotes for cyanide poisoning are highly toxic themselves and should ideally be administered at doses proportional to the amount of cyanide a patient has received to avoid compounding damage done by cyanide intoxication. For this reason, a rapid, accurate bedside assay of blood cyanide concentration that differentiates between bound and free cyanide would represent a leap forward in the clinical management of cyanide poisoning.     

Analysis of Cyanide in Blood by Headspace-Isotope-Dilution-GC-MS

Abstract

An uncomplicated, rapid, automated procedure for the analysis of low cyanide concentrations in whole blood is reported. The analysis was performed by headspace gas chromatography and mass spectrometry in the (¹H¹²C¹⁴N) and m/z 29 (¹H¹³C¹⁵N). Carryover from cyanide adsorption onto the surface of the needle was prevented by developing a new method that enabled automated flushing of the needle in between each cyanide analysis. Results were compared of ordinary calibrations and those of isotope dilutions. The total time of analysis was 18 min for a single cyanide analysis.     

Ion Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection for Determining Cyanide in Urine and Meconium Samples

The parents’ addictions and eating habits have a significant influence on the child’s growth. The first stool of a newborn baby provides a large amount of information about xenobiotics transmitted by the mother’s body. The analytical technique used in the study is ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (IC-PAD). The biological samples, which were obtained from women staying in a maternity ward and their partners, revealed cyanide concentrations in urine samples spanning 1.30–25.3 μg L⁻¹. Meanwhile, the results of the meconium samples were in the range of 1.54 μg L⁻¹ to 24.9 μg L⁻¹. Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, the IC-PAD system exhibited satisfactory repeatability (R < 3%, n = 3) and good linearity in the range of 1–100 μg L⁻¹. Thus, it proved to be an effective tool for monitoring trace cyanide concentration in a series of human body fluid matrices, including meconium. Based on the literature review, this is the first application of the IC-PAD analytical technique for the determination of cyanide ions in meconium samples.     

Automated direct determination of chromium in blood and urine by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple direct procedure for the determination of chromium in whole blood and urine by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry is described. Whole blood samples are diluted with 0.1% Triton-X solution before injection, whereas urine samples are injected directly. Calibration is done by direct comparison against matrix-matched standards. Between-run precision is 5.4% at 154 nmol l^?1 for urine and 3.6% at 142 nmol l^?1 for blood. The detection limits are 3.8 nmol l^?1 for urine and 11.5 nmol l^?1 for blood, each for a 20μl sample. The calibration range extends up to 770 nmol l^?1 for both blood and urine. This allows the determination of chromium in both occupationally exposed and unexposed groups. The graphite-furnace conditions for each matrix are similar. Elimination fo sample pretreatment minimizes the risk of contamination and allows a rapid sample throughput of 50–60 samples per day. The methods described are particularly suited for the screening and surveying of populations occupationally exposed to chromium.     

Polarographic determination of cyanide as nickelcyano complex in blood plasma after selective extraction in a methylene blue impregnated polyethylene column

A method for the determination of cyanide in blood plasma by differential pulse polarography (DPP) is described without a drastic acidification of the sample. Cyanide was determined as tetracyanonickelate(II)-anion complex after a microwave-acid assisted cleanup and a selective complex extraction in a polyethylene methylene blue (PE-MB) impregnated column. The cyano complex was eluted from the column with water/acetonitrile and determined by pulse-polarography at –380 mV (Ag/AgCl). The linear range of calibration was obtained from 1.2 to 9.6 μg of cyanide with r = 0.99 and RSD = 9% of 1.2 μg of cyanide. A detection limit of 40 μg L^–1 was calculated and the recoveries of cyanide from spiked samples were about 80%. This method was compared with the classical pyridine-pyrazolone method.     

Determination of triazine herbicides in human body fluids by solid-phase microextraction and capillary gas chromatography

Summary Eight triazine herbicides, prometon, propazine, atrazine, simazine, prometryn, ametryn, metribuzin, and cyanazine, have been extracted from human whole blood and urine samples by headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with a polydimethylsiloxane-coated fiber and quantified by capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. Extraction efficiencies for all compounds were 0.21–0.99% for whole blood, except for cyanazine (0.06%). For urine, the extraction efficiencies for prometon, propazine, atrazine, prometryn and ametryn were 13.6–38.1%, and those of simazine, metribuzin and cyanazine were 1.35–8.73%. The regression equations for the compounds extracted from whole blood were linear within the concentration ranged 0.01–1 μg (0.5 mL)⁻¹ for prometon, propazine, atrazine, prometryn, and ametryn, and 0.02–1 μg (0.5 mL)⁻¹ for simazine, metribuzin, and cyanazine. For urine, regression equations for all compounds were linear within the concentration range 0.005–0.25 μg mL⁻¹. Compound detection limits were 2.8–9.0 ng (0.5 mL)⁻¹ and 0.4–2.0 ng mL⁻¹ for whole blood and urine, respectively. The coefficients of within-day and day-to-day variation were satisfactory for all the compounds, and not greater than 10.3 and 14.2%, respectively. Data obtained from determination of atrazine in rat whole blood after oral administration of the compound are also presented.     

Simple extraction of phencyclidine from human body fluids by headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME)

Summary Phencyclidine (PCP) was found to be extractable by headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) from human whole blood and urine. Sample solutions were heated at 90°C in the presence of NaOH and K₂CO₃, and an SPME fiber was exposed in the headspace of a vial for 30 min. Immediately after withdrawal of the fiber, it was analyzed by gas chromatography with surface ionization detection (GC-SID). Recoveries of PCP were approximately 9.3–10.8% and 39.8–47.8% for whole blood and urine samples, respectively. The calibration curve for PCP showed good linearity in the range 2.5–100 ng mL^–1 whole blood and 0.5–100 ng mL^–1 urine. The detection limits were approximately 1.0 ng mL^–1 for whole blood and 0.25 ng mL^–1 for urine.     

High performance liquid chromatography determination of cyanide in urine by pre-column fluorescence derivatization

A method for the determination of cyanide in human urine has been developed. The method is based on the reaction of cyanide with 2,3-naphthalenedialdehyde and taurine to give a fluorescent product for reversed-phase HPLC separation and fluorometric detection. After centrifugation followed by dilution of urine samples, the specimens could be analysed directly by this method. The recovery of cyanide added to urine at concentration levels of 50-1000 pmol/mL was 85-96%. The detection limit of cyanide was 30 pmol/mL in urine. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of urine from smokers and nonsmokers. The mean concentrations of cyanide were found to be 215 pmol/mL for the former and 84 pmol/mL for the latter.     

Polarographic determination of cyanide as nickelcyano complex in blood plasma after selective extraction in a methylene blue impregnated polyethylene column

A method for the determination of cyanide in blood plasma by differential pulse polarography (DPP) is described without a drastic acidification of the sample. Cyanide was determined as tetracyanonickelate(II)-anion complex after a microwave-acid assisted cleanup and a selective complex extraction in a polyethylene methylene blue (PE-MB) impregnated column. The cyano complex was eluted from the column with water/acetonitrile and determined by pulse-polarography at –380 mV (Ag/AgCl). The linear range of calibration was obtained from 1.2 to 9.6 μg of cyanide with r = 0.99 and RSD = 9% of 1.2 μg of cyanide. A detection limit of 40 μg L^–1 was calculated and the recoveries of cyanide from spiked samples were about 80%. This method was compared with the classical pyridine-pyrazolone method. Received: 3 September 1997 / Revised: 21 January 1998 / Accepted: 24 January 1998     

A novel fluorescent and chromogenic probe for cyanide detection in water based on the nucleophilic addition of cyanide to imine group

A fluorescent and colorimetric probe bearing salicylaldehyde hydrazone functionality has been prepared for cyanide sensing. The detection of cyanide was performed via the nucleophilic attack of cyanide anion on the imine group of the probe with a 1:1 binding stoichiometry, which could be confirmed by ¹H NMR and MS studies. The specific reaction results in a prominent fluorescence enhancement and a color change from colorless to yellow.     

Quantification of free and metal-complexed cyanide by tetrathionate derivatization

A sensitive and robust method for detection of free and metal-complexed cyanide in solutions is described. The method does not require a distillation step and is applicable for both low ionic strength and sea-water samples. The method is based on the reaction of cyanide with potassium tetrathionate followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation and UV detection of formed thiocyanate. The detection limit of the method is 250?nmol?L^?1 cyanide (6.5?µg?L^?1 CN^?) without a pre-concentration step. Storage for three days does not significantly change the results. The sum of free and weak metal-complexed cyanide can be measured by tetrathionate derivatization at a pH of 10. The sum of free, weak metal-complexed cyanide, iron(II) and iron(III)-complexed cyanides may be measured by tetrathionate derivatization at pH 4.4. Derivatization requires heating to 90°C for 20?min at pH?=?10 and for 12 h at pH?=?4.4. Weighted mean recoveries for free, iron(II), iron(III), nickel(II), silver(I), Cd(II) and Zn(II) complexed cyanide were in the range of 87 to 112% and weighted standard deviations were in the range of 1.7 to 10.0%. The method is not applicable for cyanide complexes of gold and cobalt. We illustrate an application of cyanide quantification using pore-waters from the Delaware Great Marsh.     

Normal pulse polarographic quantification of cyanide and sulfide by the anodization of mercury

Normal pulse polarography is used to quantify cyanide and sulfide simultaneously by the anodic oxidation of mercury. The detection limit for cyanide is 18 μg l^-1 by the normal pulse polarographic technique. A supporting electrolyte system of 1 M Na₂CO₃ is optimal with regard to background interferences and sample loss. The electrode reaction for the oxidation of mercury in the presence of cyanide can be described by Hg + pCN^- α Hg(CN)_p^2-p + 2e^-, with p having values of 2, 3 and 4 depending on the surface concentration of cyanide. The feasibility of simultaneous cyanide and sulfide quantification is demonstrated with waste-water samples.     

Highly selective and sensitive reaction of cyanide with 2,2-dihydroxy-1,3-indanedione

A novel reaction of cyanide with 2,2-dihydroxy-1,3-indanedione in the presence of sodium carbonate is described. It is highly selective and sensitive, and suitable for the determination of hydrogen cyanide in the environment and free cyanide ions in water, blood, urine, serum, etc. As little as 1.25x10(-7) mol x L(-1) CN(-) (3.25x10(-9) g x mL(-1) cyanide) can be determined by use of this reaction. The color system obeys Beer's law in the range 10 ng x mL(-1) to 1.0 microg x mL(-1) at 510 nm. The molar absorptivity was 8.0x10(4) L x mol(-1) x cm(-1) for a solution of concentration 0.2 microg x mL(-1). All other important analytical properties of the reaction have been studied. It is proposed that the purple color produced under these reaction conditions is that of 2-cyano-1,2,3-trihydroxy-2 H indene.     

Headspace single-drop microextraction and cuvetteless microspectrophotometry for the selective determination of free and total cyanide involving reaction with ninhydrin

Headspace single-drop microextraction has been used for the determination of cyanide with ninhydrin in combination with fibre-optic-based cuvetteless microspectrophotometry which accommodates sample volume of 1 μL placed between the two ends of optical fibres, and has been found to avoid salient drawbacks of batch methods. This method involved hydrocyanic acid formation in a closed vial, and simultaneous extraction and reaction with 2 μL drop of ninhydrin in carbonate medium suspended at the tip of a microsyringe needle held in the headspace of the acidified sample solution. The method was linear in range 0.025-0.5 mg L⁻¹ of cyanide. The headspace reaction was free from the interference of substances, e.g., thiocyanate, hydrazine sulphate, hydroxylammonium chloride and ascorbic acid. Sulphide was masked by cadmium sulphate, nitrite by sulphamic acid, sulphite by N-ethylmaleimide, and halogens by ascorbic acid. The limit of detection was found to be 4.3 μg L⁻¹ of cyanide which was comparable to existing most sensitive methods for cyanide. However, the present method is far more simple. The method was applied to acid-labile and metal cyanides complexes by treatment with sulphide when metal sulphides were precipitated setting cyanide ion free, and to iron(II) and (III) cyanide complexes by their decomposition with mercury(II), the mercury(II) cyanide formed was then determined. These pre-treatment methods avoided cumbersome pre-separation of cyanide by methods such as distillation or gas diffusion. The overall recovery of cyanide in diverse samples was 97% with RSD of 3.9%.     

Photodissociation/gas-diffusion separation and fluorimetric detection for the analysis of total and labile cyanide in a flow system

Total cyanide species are determined in a flow injection system which includes UV-photodissociation, gas-diffusion separation and spectrofluorimetric detection. Without the irradiation step, only cyanide easily released in acid medium, i.e. labile cyanide, is determined. Cyanide diffuses through a microporous PTFE membrane from an acid donor stream to a sodium hydroxide acceptor stream. Then, the transferred cyanide reacts with ¶o-phthalaldehyde and glycine to form a highly fluorescent isoindole derivative. Complete cyanide recoveries were obtained for the most important metal cyanide complexes found in environmental samples, excepting cobaltocyanide. The sampling frequency for total cyanide was 4 samples h^–1 and the detection limit was 0.4 μg L^–1. Recoveries of total cyanide from river water obtained with this method are about 90% of those obtained with APHA Method 4500-CN C for total cyanide.     

Separation and automatic spectrophotometric determination of low concentrations of cyanide in water

Semi-automatic methods are described for the routine determination of cyanide in water. Membrane diffusion and isothermal distillation are examined for the separation/concentration of cyanide; the isothermal distillation procedure is optimized for routine use. An air-segmented flow analyzer is used to quantify cyanide. Two classical spectrophotometric methods are adapted and compared. The method based on reaction with picric acid is applicable at cyanide concentrations exceeding 1 mg l^?1. A modified Aldridge method is far better for lower concentrations. Combination of isothermal distillation with the automatic version of the Aldridge method is suitable for the determination of cyanide in waters in the concentration range 0.01–10 mg l^?1. Interference by sulphide and sulphite and their removal are described.     

A Sensitive Colorimetric Reagent for the Determination of Cyanide and Hydrogen Cyanide in Various Environmental Samples

A sensitive reagent system is proposed for the determination of cyanide and hydrogen cyanide in various environmental samples. The method is based on the conversion of cyanide into cyanogen bromide followed by its reaction with pyridine to form glutaconic aldehyde. The glutaconic aldehyde so formed is coupled with p‐aminoacetophenone forming yellow‐orange polymethine dye measured at 445 nm. The colour system obeys Beer's law in the range of 0.01–0.16 ppm of cyanide inaqeous phase and 0.002–0.03 ppm in extracting system. The molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity were found to be 6.51 × 10⁵ l mol^?1 cm^?1 and 0.0001 μg cm^?2, respectively. The method has been successfully applied for the determination of cyanide in air, industrial effluent, biological samples, and in the pesticide acrylonitrile.     

An Atomic Absorption Analysis Method for Cyanide

Abstract

An atomic absorption analysis procedure for cyanide has been developed. The procedure is based upon the solubilization of copper(II) from a basic copper carbonate in an alkaline medium. The amount of copper complexed by the cyanide ion is determined by atomic absorption and a calibration curve is constructed concurrently. The stoichiometry of the cyanide-copper complex is 3:1, implying formation of the complex ion Cu(CN)^? ₃, with no formation of CuCN observed at the low concentration of cyanide used. The method is used primarily for analyzing low levels of cyanide; the sensitivity of the method extending down to 2.0 × 10^?5 M CN^?. The most likely interference, iron, is considered. Finally, recovery of cyanide from spiked samples is demonstrated.     

Pneumatopotentiometric determination of nanogram amounts of cyanide

Hydrogen cyanide is liberated from aqueous samples by reaction with sulphuric acid and transferred by a stream of nitrogen to a silver porous membrane electrode. Some HCN passes through the membrane into an alkaline dicyanoargentate solution; the cyanide ion produced causes a decrease in the equilibrium Ag⁺ concentration and the change of potential is related to the amount of cyanide in the sample. The detection limit is 3.0 ng ml^?1 cyanide in the injected solution; the relative standard deviation is 0.82% for 17 ng of cyanide. Sulphide interferes (as H₂S) but can be removed on a lead acetate column.     

Indirect determination of cyanide ion and hydrogen cyanide by adsorptive stripping voltammetry at a mercury electrode

An indirect voltammetric method is described for determination of cyanide ions and hydrogen cyanide, using the effect of cyanide on cathodic adsorptive stripping peak height of Cu-adenine. The method is based on competitive Cu complex formation reaction between adenine at the electrode surface and CN⁻ ions in solution. Under the optimum experimental conditions (pH=6.42 Britton-Robinson buffer, 1×10⁻⁴ M copper and 8×10⁻⁷ M adenine), the linear decrease of the peak current of Cu-adenine was observed, when the cyanide concentration was increased from 5×10⁻⁸ to 8×10⁻⁷ M. The detection limit was obtained as 1×10⁻⁸ M for 60 s accumulation time. The relative standard deviations for six measurements were 4 and 2% for the cyanide concentrations of 5×10⁻⁸ and 2×10⁻⁷ M, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of cyanide in various industrial waste waters such as electroplating waste water and also for determination of hydrogen cyanide in air samples.