Direct determination of free cyanide in drinking water by ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection

Cyanide is a regulated contaminant in drinking water in the United States. This paper describes an ion chromatography method with pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) that directly determines free cyanide in drinking water. Samples are treated with sodium hydroxide to stabilize cyanide and with a cation-exchange cartridge to remove transition metals. Cyanide is separated by anion-exchange chromatography and detected by PAD with a waveform optimized for cyanide and used with a disposable silver working electrode. The recovery of cyanide spiked into five water samples was >80%. With an MDL of 1.0 microg/L, this method determines cyanide concentrations well below the reporting limits for free cyanide in drinking water.     

A label-free gold-nanoparticle-based SERS assay for direct cyanide detection at the parts-per-trillion level

Cyanide is an extremely toxic lethal poison known to humankind. Developing rapid, highly sensitive, and selective detection of cyanide from water samples is extremely essential for human life safety. Driven by the need, here we report a gold-nanoparticle-based label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) system for highly toxic cyanide ion recognition in parts-per-trillion level and to examine gold-nanoparticle-cyanide interaction. We have shown that the SERS assay can be used to probe the gold nanoparticle dissociation process in the presence of cyanide ions. Our experimental data indicates that gold-nanoparticle-based SERS can detect cyanide from a water sample at the 110 ppt level with excellent discrimination against other common anions and cations. The results also show that the SERS probe can be used to detect cyanide from environmental samples.     

流动注射-分光光度法测定水中氰化物

使用流动注射(FIA)-分光光度法测定水中的氰化物的含量,并与传统分光光度法的分析结果进行比对。实验证明流动注射(FIA)-分光光度法操作简便、线性好,灵敏度、精密度、准确度都能符合分析工作要求。检出限为0.2μg/L,适用于水中微量氰化物的检测。分析频率为每小时30个样品,特别适合大批样品的测定。     

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.     

EPR and kinetic investigation of free cyanide oxidation by photocatalysis and ozonation

Oxidation of free cyanide in aqueous suspensions of three commercial TiO₂ specimens, with different anatase crystal size, has been carried out in a batch photoreactor by simultaneously applying ozonation and photocatalysis. Dissolved ozone participates both in homogeneous and catalytic reactions with cyanide; the extents of these two processes are comparable to that of the photodegradation with oxygen. The reactivity results are well described by the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model, providing the values of the kinetic and equilibrium adsorption constants for the catalytic and photocatalytic reactions contributing to cyanide oxidation. The cyanide concentration decreases faster with time for catalysts with increasing anatase crystal size, being more marked under UV irradiation. EPR studies on gaseous ozone adsorption on the three samples in the dark have shown stronger ozone interactions with Ti⁴⁺ and O^2? ions of the samples with largest anatase crystal size, leading to the formation of significant signals of Ti³⁺ and _s O^??O₂ radicals than with the anatase with the lowest crystal size, where ozone was mainly adsorbed on water molecular arrangements covering its surface. The hampering of the ozone and/or cyanide adsorption by the water molecular arrangements covering the surface of the catalyst with the lowest crystal size would justify the low cyanide degradation rate observed for this sample.     

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. Received: 10 February 1999 / Revised: 7 May 1999 / Accepted: 13 May 1999     

Semi-quantitative "spot-test" of cyanide.

A selective, sensitive, rapid and simple-handling analytical method for the determination of cyanide at low detection limits in surface and underground water, soil and industrial waste samples was developed. The method is based on a reaction, proposed by Guilbault and Kramer, where free cyanide reacts with p-nitrobenzaldehyde to form an intermediate cyanohydrin, which reacts with o-dinitrobenzene to give a highly colored purple compound. The original procedure was modified for application in a small device containing a gas-permeable membrane. The cyanide is converted in the volatile hydrogen cyanide, which permeates through a PTFE membrane, reaching colorimetric reagents. In order to obtain semi-quantitative results, printed color scales were built. The method allows rapid, accurate, selective, low-cost and simple-handling determinations of free cyanide, even in complex samples. About 150 real samples were analyzed. Less than 10 ng of free cyanide per ml (10 microg l(-1)) can be easily detected. For more concentrated solutions, the results had been compared to those obtained using differential pulse polarography. The standard addition method was used for more diluted solutions.     

Room temperature phosphorimetric determination of cyanide based on triplet state energy transfer

The determination of cyanide ions in water samples by room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) detection is described. The method is based on the measurement of the RTP emission of α-bromonaphthalene (BrN). The principle of the RTP cyanide determination involves the energy transfer (ET) from the BrN phosphor molecule insensitive to the presence of cyanide (acting as a donor) to a cyanide-sensitive dye (acceptor).The RTP emission spectrum of BrN overlaps significantly with the absorption spectrum of the complex formed between copper and Cadion 2B, giving rise to a non-radiative ET from the phosphor molecules to the metal complex. The sensing of cyanide ions is based on the displacement by cyanide of the copper ions from its complex with Cadion 2B (the free chelating molecule presents a low absorbance in the region of maximum emission of the BrN phosphor). An increase in the concentration of cyanide causes a decrease on the concentration of the Cadion 2B-copper complex (acceptor) with the subsequent decrease of the absorbance in the overlapping region with the RTP spectra, resulting in higher RTP emission signals measured. Both, RTP intensities and triplet lifetimes of the BrN increased with the increase of the cyanide concentration.The calibration graphs were linear up to a concentration of 500 mg l⁻¹ cyanide and a precision of ±2 and ±0.5% for five replicates of 50 μg l⁻¹ of cyanide has been obtained when measuring intensities and triplet lifetimes values, respectively. A detection limit of 3 μg l⁻¹ of cyanide was achieved under optimal reaction conditions and pH 11. The use of phosphorescence measurements (low background noise signals) resulted in an important improvement on the sensitivity of the cyanide detection higher than eight times as compared to the molecular absorption spectrophotometric method for cyanide detection based on the use of Cadion 2B-copper as cyanide-indicator.Interference studies were performed with cations and anions present in drinking water samples which could affect the analytical response. Finally, the method has been successfully applied to the determination of trace levels of labile cyanide in spiked drinking water samples.     

Water-soluble AIE-active Fluorescent Organic Nanoparticles: Design,Preparation and Application for Specific Detection of Cyanide in Water and Food Samples

A dilactosyl-dicyanovinyl-functionalized tetraphenylethene ( TPELC ) was designed, synthesized and used for ratiometric sensing of cyanide. TPELC was comprised of three moieties (tetraphenylethylene, dicyanovinyl group and lactose unit) in one molecule, making TPELC water-soluble and aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active and selectively reactive to cyanide. Compared with other reported fluorescent probes containing dicyanovinyl group, TPELC is the first AIE luminogen to be assembled as fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) for sensing of cyanide in water without the use of surfactant or the help of organic solvents based on the nucleophilic addition reaction. The detection mechanism was verified by liquid chromatograph mass spectrometry experiments and by protonation of cyanide to reduce the nucleophilicity of cyanide. In addition, TPELC was used for detection of the cyanide content of food samples and test strips were developed to simplify the detection procedure.     

Development of a Simple and Inexpensive Optical Absorption One‐Shot Sensor Membrane for Detection and Determination of Cyanide Ions in Water Samples

A new one‐shot optical cyanide ion sensor is proposed for determination of cyanide ions. The sensor was constructed by immobilizing crystal violet (CV) on triacetylcellulose membrane. The sensing mechanism involves reaction between cyanide ions and the immobilized CV at pH = 5.4, which results in a decrease in absorbance of the membrane at 600 nm. The sensor shows sufficient repeatability, reproducibility, operational lifetime of 3 weeks, and a response of less then 10 min under the optimum conditions and response time of 8 min. Cyanide can be determined in the concentration range of 50.0‐800 μg mL^‐1 with a detection limit of 5.0 μg mL^‐1. Most ions do not interfere with the determination of cyanide ions. The proposed sensor was successfully applied to the determination of cyanide in spiked water samples.     

Removal of cyanide and phosphate traces from brines and sea-water on metal ion derivatives of chitosan

Chitosan polymolybdate and silver-pretreated chitosan are proposed for collection of phosphate and cyanide traces, respectively, from ammonium salt brines and from sea-water. Small columns of 1×7 cm can be used to treat samples of a few liters of water, or brine samples of several hundred milliliters.     

检测水中氢氰酸的新型便携式RGB色度传感器

基于氢氰酸在碱性条件下与水合茚三酮反应,溶液呈紫红色的检测原理,建立了一种快速、灵敏检测水中氢氰酸的分析方法。对显色剂种类、水合茚三酮浓度、pH值、反应温度、反应时间等因素进行优化。采用源于归一化RGB系统的RGB色度法进行检测,可克服基于RGB模型的由于光强变化导致三刺激值变化的不足。在最优条件下,色度值与氢氰酸的质量浓度在0.04～3.96 mg/L范围内呈良好线性,对R值的理论检出限为0.038 mg/L,实际检出限为0.04 mg/L。用于人工水样中氢氰酸的测定,回收率为98.3%～111%。该方法具有较高的选择性、灵敏度和较好的重复性,在检测环境中其他有毒有害物质方面同样具有应用潜力。     

Acridinium salt based fluorescent and colorimetric chemosensor for the detection of cyanide in water

A new, selective chemosensor has been developed to detect cyanide in water at micromolar concentrations. The acridinium salt used in this sensor system is prepared in a single step from an acridine orange base. Detection is based on the irreversible, 1:1 stoichiometric, nucleophilic addition of cyanide to the 9-position of the acridinium ion. This process induces a large decrease in fluorescence intensity and a marked color change. The selectivity of the system in aqueous media for CN- over other anions is remarkably high. Also, the sensitivity of both the fluorescence- and colorimetric-based assay is below the 1.9 microM suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the maximum allowable cyanide concentration in drinking water. Thus, the chemodosimeter should be applicable as a practical system for the monitoring of CN- concentrations in aqueous samples. [structure: see text]     

Determination of formaldehyde and cyanide ion in human nasal discharge by using simple spectrophotometric methods

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) contains many toxic compounds which include substances classified as aldehydes (e.g. formaldehyde) and inorganic substances such as cyanide ions. The information on the determination of these compounds in water is available, but the monitoring data on the level of these substances in human body fluids are still lacking. In this work the procedure for determining cyanide ions and formaldehyde in samples of human nasal discharge by simple spectrophotometric technique is presented.     

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.     

Kinetic spectrophotometric determination of nanogram amounts of cyanide

A sensitive kinetic method for determination of nanogram amounts of cyanide is reported. It is based on the measurement of the induction period imposed by cyanide on the copper(II)-catalysed oxidation of 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde azine (3-OHBAA) by potassium peroxydisulphate. Kinetic data are recorded spectrophotometrically at 465 nm, the maximum absorption wavelength of the oxidation product of 3-OHBAA. From the kinetic study and other experimental tests it may be concluded that the cyanide ion undergoes copper(II)-catalysed oxidation during the induction period. The calibration plot is linear in the range 150-600 ng/ml cyanide and the detection limit is 50 ng/ml. The precision of the method, expressed as the relative standard deviation, is 3.2% for 350 ng/ml cyanide. Good recoveries are obtained in applying the method to analysis for cyanide in water samples.     

Anion-exchange chromatography of metal cyanide complexes with gradient separation and direct UV detection

In the regulatory analysis of water samples, cyanide content is usually expressed in various forms as free cyanide, total cyanide, weak-acid dissociable cyanide, available cyanide, and cyanide amenable to chlorination. Concentration of individual metal cyanide complex, not furnished in any of these methods, is useful in meaningful assessment of toxicity due to cyanide. In the present work, two macroporous anion-exchange columns, having high and intermediate hydrophobicity, were evaluated to achieve separation of cyano complexes of silver, iron, gold, copper, nickel, and cobalt. On the QS-Al SC column, of high hydrophobicity, the monovalent cyano complexes of silver and gold eluted last while the multivalent cyano complexes, e.g. iron and copper, eluted early. It is suggested that the retention order on this column is due to relative hydrophobicity of the metal cyanide complex, and its affect on ion exchange. In contrast, on the QS-A2 SC column of intermediate hydrophobicity, with the exception of cyano complex with Fe, the separation of the cyano complexes of five other metals closely followed an anion-exchange mechanism. Under gradient conditions, the six metal cyanide complexes were well resolved on the QS-A2 SC column and the method with direct UV detection at 215 nm was accurate (spike recovery of 99.8-118.8%) and precise (RSD of 1.0-2.6%).     

An Efficient Probe for Rapid Detection of Cyanide in Water at Parts per Billion Levels and Naked‐Eye Detection of Endogenous Cyanide

A new molecular probe based on an oxidized bis‐indolyl skeleton has been developed for rapid and sensitive visual detection of cyanide ions in water and also for the detection of endogenously bound cyanide. The probe allows the “naked‐eye” detection of cyanide ions in water with a visual color change from red to yellow (Δλ_max=80 nm) with the immediate addition of the probe. It shows high selectivity towards the cyanide ion without any interference from other anions. The detection of cyanide by the probe is ratiometric, thus making the detection quantitative. A Michael‐type addition reaction of the probe with the cyanide ion takes place during this chemodosimetric process. In water, the detection limit was found to be at the parts per million level, which improved drastically when a neutral micellar medium was employed, and it showed a parts‐per‐billion‐level detection, which is even 25‐fold lower than the permitted limits of cyanide in water. The probe could also efficiently detect the endogenously bound cyanide in cassava (a staple food) with a clear visual color change without requiring any sample pretreatment and/or any special reaction conditions such as pH or temperature. Thus the probe could serve as a practical naked‐eye probe for “in‐field” experiments without requiring any sophisticated instruments.     

Improved gas chromatography with electron-capture detection using a reaction pre-column for the determination of blood cyanide: a higher content in the left ventricle of fire victims

We developed a head-space method for the determination of blood cyanide by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. In this technique, a reaction pre-column, packed with chloramine-T, was used for the conversion of hydrogen cyanide into cyanogen chloride. Since the reaction pre-column eliminated the necessity for trapping hydrogen cyanide from the biological samples, blood cyanide was quickly analysed by acidification only. The reaction pre-column was durable for at least several months. The calibration curve gave good linearity when dichloromethane was used as the internal standard, and the lower detection limit taken from this plot was ca. 0.05 micrograms/ml. The relative standard deviation of spiked blood samples was in the range 0.6-3.9%. We determined blood cyanide levels at autopsy in victims who had died from fire using this method. A significantly higher cyanide content was detected in the left ventricular blood than in the right. There was a positive correlation between blood cyanide and carboxylhaemoglobin contents. This simple and sensitive technique could be very useful for the determination of cyanide in various samples.     

Activation analysis of heavy metals in surface waters using ion exchange filter papers and cyanide complexing

This paper describes a simple, reasonably rapid, and accurate technique developed for the multielement analysis of heavy metals in surface waters using ion exchange filter papers and cyanide complexing in conjunction with neutron activation analysis. The method employs large water volume irradiation for improved sensitivity.¹³⁰Te was used as an internal flux monitor to correct for neutron flux variations in the samples. Proof of the value of this technique was obtained by the analysis of 10 surface water samples previously analyzed using conventional methods by the U. S. Geological Survey of the U. S. Department of Interior. Good agreement resulted from this comparison.