Interpretation of Carboxyhemoglobin and Cyanide Concentrations in Relation to Aviation Accidents

Civil Aerospace Medical Institute2005PDFTech ReportCanfield, D VChaturvedi, A KDubowski, Kurt M.United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Civil Aerospace Medical InstituteUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Office of Aerospace MedicineUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Civil Aerospace Medical InstituteUnited StatesAir transportation crashesAircraft exhaust gasesAviation safetyBlood carbon monoxide levelsCarbon monoxideConcentration (Chemistry)CyanidesFatalitiesFiresGasesToxicologyForensic scienceCarboxyhemoglobinDOT/FAA/AM-05/9AM-B-04-TOX-204Public DomainCarbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) are combustion products of organic material, but their production depends on material constituents and environmental conditions. Non-nitrogenous organic materials generate CO, whereas nitrogenous organic materials also produce HCN. For fire-involved aviation accidents, it is important to determine if the fire occurred during flight or after the crash and to establish the source(s) of the toxic gases. Therefore, this study was pursued.120