Potassium Cyanide

Description

Potassium cyanide is a compound with the formula KCN. This colorless crystalline salt, similar in appearance to sugar, is highly soluble in water. Most KCN is used in gold mining, organic synthesis, and electroplating. Smaller applications include jewelry for chemical gilding and buffing.

This product is a white amorphous lump or a crystalline mass with a faint odor of bitter almonds. Density 1.52 g / cm3 Toxic by skin absorption through open wounds, by ingestion. Heating to decomposition produces toxic fumes. Used for gold and silver extraction, in chemical analysis, to make other chemicals, and as an insecticide.

It is a cyanide salt-containing equal numbers of potassium cations and cyanide anions. It has a role as an EC 1.9.3.1 (cytochrome c oxidase) inhibitor, an EC 1.15.1.1 (superoxide dismutase) inhibitor, and a neurotoxin. It is a cyanide salt, a one-carbon compound, and a potassium salt.

This product is highly toxic. The moist solid emits small amounts of hydrogen cyanide due to hydrolysis, which smells like bitter almonds. Not everyone, however, can smell this; the ability to do so is a genetic trait.

The taste of potassium cyanide has been described as acrid with a burning sensation.

DOSAGE | OVERDOSE

The minimum lethal dose can be ingested in (50mg/kg) or (100mg/kg) for a guaranteed effect. When ingested, Potassium Cyanide releases hydrogen cyanide gas which is highly poisonous and reacts by completely capturing the whole body and its sensitive organs such as the brain, heart and central nervous system.

If cyanide is taken overly (overdose) consequently the victim will fall into a comma or go unconscious after a few seconds, thus might also witness symptoms such as dilated or red eyes and colored chicks or in extreme cases will witness convulsions while the patient is still alive, generally, at this stage, the hearth and other sensory organs will stop working.