A rapid spectrophotometric blood cyanide determination applicable to emergency toxicology

Abstract] Cyanide determination in whole blood can be performed by epectrophotometry after using diffusion coupled with coloration by hydroxocobalamin in a Conway dish. The technique may be accelerated by the use of a heating sheet at 45 ~ The method proved to be specific, sensitive, and fast, thus permitting measurements in emergency situations. Introduct ion Cyanide poisonings are frequent and have different origins: consumption ofplants that contain cyanogen compounds, uch as cassava, cherry, or almond (1); voluntary ingestion of alkaline cyanide or acetonitrile (2,3); accidental inhalation of hydro-cyanic acid in metals or plastics industries (4); and exposure to smoke due to fires (5-7). Blood cyanide determination is important in order to confir