Cyanide enters water, soil, or air as a result of both natural processes and industrial activities. When present in air, it is usually in the form of gaseous hydrogen cyanide. Smoking cigarettes is probably one of the major sources of cyanide exposure for people who do not work in cyanide-related industries.
How cyanide works The extent of poisoning caused by cyanide depends on the amount of cyanide a person is exposed to, the route of exposure, and the length of time that a person is exposed.
Breathing cyanide gas causes the most harm, but swallowing cyanide can be toxic as well. Cyanide gas is most dangerous in enclosed places where the gas will be trapped.
Cyanide gas evaporates and disperses quickly in open spaces, making it less harmful outdoors. Cyanide gas is less dense than air; so it will rise. Cyanide prevents the cells of the body from using oxygen. When this happens, the cells die.
Cyanide is more harmful to the heart and brain than to other organs because the heart and brain use a lot of oxygen. Immediate signs and symptoms of exposure to cyanide People exposed to a small amount of cyanide by breathing it, absorbing it through their skin, or eating foods that contain it may have some or all of the following signs and symptoms within minutes: Dizziness Headache Nausea and vomiting Rapid breathing Rapid heart rate Restlessness Weakness Exposure to a large amount of cyanide by any route may cause these other health effects as well: Convulsions Loss of consciousness Low blood pressure Lung injury Respiratory failure leading to death Slow heart rate Showing these signs and symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has been exposed to cyanide.
Long-term health effects of exposure to cyanide Survivors of serious cyanide poisoning may develop heart, brain and nerve damage. How you can protect yourself, and what to do if you are exposed to cyanide Since breathing it is likely to be the primary route of exposure to cyanide, leave the area where the cyanide gas was released and get to fresh air.
Quickly moving to an area where fresh air is available is highly effective in reducing exposure to cyanide gas. If the cyanide gas was released outdoors, move away from the area where it was released. If you cannot get out of the area where the cyanide gas was released, stay as low to the ground as possible. If the release of cyanide gas was indoors, get out of the building.
For more information on evacuation during a chemical emergency, see Facts About Evacuation. For more information on sheltering in place during a chemical emergency, see Facts About Sheltering in Place. If you think you may have been exposed to cyanide, you should remove your clothing, rapidly wash your entire body with soap and water, and get medical care as quickly as possible.
Removing your clothing: Quickly take off clothing that may have cyanide on it. Any clothing that has to be pulled over the head should be cut off the body instead of pulled over the head.
If you are helping other people remove their clothing, try to avoid touching any contaminated areas, and remove the clothing as quickly as possible. Washing yourself: As quickly as possible, wash any cyanide from your skin with large amounts of soap and water. Washing with soap and water will help protect people from any chemicals on their bodies. The cyanide dissolves the gold from the ore into the solution as it trickles through the heap.
The pad collects the now metal-impregnated solution which is stripped of gold and resprayed on the heap until the ore is depleted.
Because cyanide leaching is very efficient, it allows profitable mining of much lower ore grades. Mining lower grade ore requires the extraction and processing of much more ore to get the same amount of gold. Partially due to cyanide, modern mines are. More than 20 tons of mine waste are generated to produce enough gold for a typical ring.
Cyanide is highly toxic , and can result in substantial environmental impacts and public health risks if released into the environment. Cyanide spills have resulted in major fish kills, contaminated drinking water supplies and harmed agricultural lands. For example:. Industry claims cyanide is relatively safe because — even if it spills — it breaks down rapidly in surface water. Cyanide spills into groundwater can persist for long periods of time and contaminate drinking water aquifers.
Cyanide contaminated groundwater can also pollute hydrologically connected neighboring streams. The heart, respiratory system and central nervous system are most susceptible to cyanide poisoning. The health effects from high levels of cyanide exposure can begin in seconds to minutes. Some signs and symptoms of such exposures are:. The severity of health effects depends upon the route and duration of exposure, the dose, and the form of cyanide. Moving away from the point of exposure to fresh air is an important first step in treating cyanide exposure.
Cyanide poisoning can be further treated by medical professionals. Often patients are given oxygen. Two antidotes sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate are usually used to stop the effects of serious cyanide poisoning. Other drugs may be necessary to control additional health effects of cyanide such as seizures. People who experience serious signs and symptoms will need immediate hospital care, especially individuals who have "passed out" or are unconscious. Any delay could result in death.
While an elevated blood cyanide concentration may indicate that someone has been exposed to cyanide, laboratory testing for cyanide exposure will not be useful in making emergency treatment decisions. A patient exposed to cyanide should not expect medical personnel to do these tests before treatment.
Treatment should not be delayed if signs and symptoms are present and exposure is believed to have occurred. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Cyanide. Division of Toxicology, U. Department of Health and Human Services.
Medical Management Guidelines for Hydrogen Cyanide. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Emergency Preparedness and Response. Chemical Casualty Care Division. This fact sheet is based on the most current information. It may be updated as new information becomes available.
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