ABSTRACT
Cyanide, a natural compound found in plants and animals, is believed to be a key component in the origin of life (see Chapter 1) and plays a pivotal role in today’s commerce. It is a basic component in the manufacture of a number of products including synthetic fibers and plastic, gold, agricultural herbicides, fumigants and insecticides, dyes and pigments, animal feed supplements, chelating agents for water treatment, and specialty chemicals and pharmaceuticals [1,2]. Table 4.1 presents a breakdown of the overall industrial use of hydrogen cyanide, including as a feedstock chemical for production of other cyanide compounds, as of 1991. Table 4.2 presents a list of some industries that use cyanide compounds in the manufacturing process, along with the cyanide compounds employed.
