ABSTRACT
CONTENTS 9.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 253 9.2 Determination of Cyanide............................................................................................... 255
9.2.1 Classical Method................................................................................................. 255 9.2.2 Instrumentation Methods .................................................................................. 255
9.2.2.1 Spectrophotometric Methods............................................................. 255 9.2.2.2 Reagents and Solutions....................................................................... 256 9.2.2.3 Procedure .............................................................................................. 256
9.2.3 Other Instrumentation Methods ...................................................................... 257 9.2.4 Flow Injection Method ....................................................................................... 259
9.2.4.1 Homogeneous Flow Injection System .............................................. 259 9.2.4.2 Heterogeneous Flow Injection System (Indirect Method) ............ 261
9.3 Electrochemistry and Sensors......................................................................................... 262 9.4 Chromatography and Extraction ................................................................................... 263 9.5 Microdistillation................................................................................................................ 264 9.6 Nanoparticles..................................................................................................................... 265 References ................................................................................................................................... 265
Cyanide is highly toxic to fish but less toxic for humans and microorganisms. Concentrations of 0:02 mg L1 have been reported to be lethal for certain species of fish, whereas a concentration of 0:2 mg L1 is allowable for drinking water supplies [1,2]. It is known that cyanide ion exerts an inhibitory action on certain metabolic enzyme systems, most notably cytochrome oxidase, the enzyme involved in the ultimate transfer of electrons to molecular oxygen. Natural body mechanisms are capable of detoxifying small amounts of cyanide as they are ingested, which not only offers some protection against cyanide poisoning but also prevents cyanides from accumulating in the human body. Cyanide ingestion does not become lethal unless the capacity of this natural detoxifying mechanism is exceeded.
