| Agent Name |
Sodium cyanide |
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| CAS Number |
143-33-9 |
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| Formula |
C-N-Na |
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| Major Category |
Toxic Gases & Vapors |
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| Synonyms |
Cianuro di sodio [Italian]; Cyanasalt H; Cyanasalt S; Cyanide of sodium; Cyanobrik; Cyanogran; Cyanure de sodium [French]; Cyanure de sodium [ISO-French]; Cymag; Hydrocyanic acid, sodium salt; Kyanid sodny [Czech]; M-44 cyanide capsules; Sodium cyanide; Sodium cyanide [ISO]; [ChemIDplus] UN1689 |
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| Category |
Chemical Asphyxiants |
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| Description |
White, granular or crystalline solid with a faint, almond-like odor; [NIOSH] Deliquescent; [CHEMINFO] |
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| Sources/Uses |
Used to clean metals, chelate compounds, and extract gold and silver; Used to manufacture dyes, agricultural chemicals, and pharmaceuticals; Also used in elctroplating, heat treating, and metal stripping; Used as a rodenticide (killing coyote, fox, and wild dogs) and insecticide (fumigating trucks and post-harvest application to fruit trees); [HSDB] |
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| Comments |
There are two common scenarios for cyanide poisoning in the industrial setting: 1) mixing acid and cyanide solutions, and 2) pouring cyanide wastes into non-alkaline solutions. Mixing cyanide salts with water, e.g., showering in clothes contaminated with cyanides, will generate hydrogen cyanide gas. Dermal absorption of cyanide salts deposited on large areas of skin can result in fatal poisoning. [Sullivan, p. 705-6] Liquid causes second degree burns after contact for a few minutes; [CHRIS] Corrosive to skin; [Quick CPC] A severe skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant; [ICSC] |
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| Exposure Assessment |
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| Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
Yes |
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| Ceiling (ACGIH) |
5 mg/m3, as CN |
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| PEL (OSHA) |
5 mg/m3, as CN |
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| MAK |
3.8 mg/m3, as CN, inhalable fraction |
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| IDLH (NIOSH) |
25 mg/m3, as CN |
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| Reference Link |
ATSDR ToxFAQs - Cyanide |
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| Flammability (NFPA) |
0: will not burn |
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| Adverse Effects |
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| Dermatotoxin |
Skin Burns |
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| Other Poison |
Chemical Asphyxiant |
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| Links to Other NLM Databases |
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| Health Studies |
Human Health Effects from Hazardous Substances Data Bank: SODIUM CYANIDE
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