ABSTRACT
The reactivity, fate, and toxicity of cyanide in water and soil is highly dependent on the chemical speciation of the cyanide. As outlined in Chapter 2, many different soluble and solid forms of cyanide exist. The simplest form of soluble cyanide is the negatively charged cyanide ion, CN−, which is composed of a carbon atom triple bonded to a nitrogen atom (–C≡N). The nature of this triple bond controls the reactivity of the cyanide anion, including complexation with other metal cations,
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(HCN), oxidation of cyanide to cyanate, and adsorption onto clays and other soil components.
