The Analysis of Cyanide and its Breakdown Products in Biological Samples

Abstract

Cyanide is a toxic chemical that may be introduced into living organisms as a result of natural processes and/or anthropogenic uses (legal or illicit). Exposure to cyanide can be verified by analysis of cyanide or one of its breakdown products from biological samples. This verification may be important for medical, law-enforcement, military, forensic, research, or veterinary purposes. This review will discuss current bioanalytical techniques used for the verification of cyanide exposure, identify common problems associated with the analysis of cyanide and its biological breakdown products, and briefly address the metabolism and toxicokinetics of cyanide and its breakdown products in biological systems.

Keywords:

• cyanide
• thiocyanate
• 2-amino-2-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid (ATCA)
• chemical warfare agent
• exposure
• toxicology
• analytical methods

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding support from the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the Department of Defense, Grant Number Y1-A1-6176-03/A120-B.P2008-01. The authors would also like to acknowledge the work of Mitch Perrizo of South Dakota State University, whose organization of the many references was invaluable. The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Department of the Army, or the Department of Defense.

Notes

^a CN—cyanide, SCN—thiocyanate, ATCA—2-amino-2-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid.

^b Cyanide or the metabolite has been analyzed from this matrix with an analytical method reported in at least one research article or in the laboratories of the authors of this review.

^c Cyanide or the metabolite has been analyzed from this species with an analytical method reported in at least one research article or in the laboratories of the authors of this review.

^a This table is meant to give a general overview of analytical techniques to analyze cyanide and its metabolites along with a general idea about parameters specific to each analysis technique. Parameters of specific methods within a particular analysis technique may be outside of those listed.

^b UV-Vis—ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry, AA—atomic absorption, FIA—flow injection analysis, LC—liquid chromatography, RP—reverse phase, FLD—fluorescence detection, ED—electrochemical detection, MS—mass spectrometry, MS-MS—tandem mass spectrometric detection, IC—ion chromatography, CE—capillary electrophoresis, GC—gas chromatography, NPD—nitrogen phosphorous detector, ECD—electron capture detector.

^c CN—cyanide, SCN—thiocyanate, ATCA—2-amino-2-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid.

^d These parameters are related to the general instrumental technique used and not each individual method of analysis.

^a See method notes in Table 3.

^b Excluded Pettigrew and Fell (82) because concentrations of cyanide in smoker blood were below non-smoker blood and relative errors were very large.

^c The term “plasma” refers to serum or plasma.

^a See method notes in Table 3.

^b The term “plasma” refers to serum or plasma.

^a See method notes in Table 3.

^b The term “plasma” refers to serum or plasma.