Determination of Cyanide Ion by Derivatization-Gas Chromatography

Abstract

A new gas chromatographic method is described for the determination of cyanide ion in water. Cyanide is converted to benzonitrile by reaction with aniline, sodium nitrite, and copper(II) sulfate. The resulting benzonitrile is extracted into chloroform and determined by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. The influences of several ions which may coexist with cyanide on this gas chromatographic method were investigated briefly.