6 Accurate determination of blood CN levels are affected by both the time between exposure and specimen collection and the conditions of blood storage. These methods both require time for collection and interpretation of results. Urine and whole blood analysis are the only regularly used diagnostic tests for cyanide. 4– 10Ĭurrently, there is no rapid method to measure cyanide levels in the body. 4– 10 Studies of residential fires have found higher blood CN concentrations in deceased victims than in the survivors, suggesting CN toxicity may be a major component of morbidity and mortality in addition to carbon monoxide poisoning, and combined exposure appears to increase the toxicity of both. More commonly, exposure to cyanide occurs during house fires because of the combustion of plastics such as acrylics and acrylonitriles that together with carbon monoxide, aldehydes, and soot further worsen tissue hypoxia, resulting in combustion-related fatalities. 2, 3 There are numerous sources of chemical CN exposure including military and industrial. 1, 2 As a highly toxic and volatile substance, CN continues to pose a major potential chemical threat to civilians and military personnel. Therefore, DOS enables detection and monitoring of CN toxicity and treatment with NaNO 2.Ĭyanide (CN)-based derivatives have been used for centuries as poisons and chemical weapons. DOS measurements demonstrated corresponding changes in hemoglobin oxygenation states and redox states of cytochrome-c oxidase (CcO) during CN infusion and NaNO 2 treatment. During infusion of CN, blood gas measurements showed an increase in venous partial pressure of oxygen (pO 2), and following reversal, venous pO 2 values decreased.

After completion of CN infusion, NaNO 2 was infused to induce methemoglobinemia (MetHb). DOS and concurrent physiologic measurements were obtained. A sodium CN solution was infused intravenously. To perform experiments, the DOS probe was placed on the hind leg of rabbits. DOS was ased to optically monitor CN toxicity and treatment with sodium nitrite (NaNO 2). We developed a broadband diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) system to measure bulk tissue absorption and scattering. Currently, no reliable noninvasive methods exist for monitoring the severity of in vivo cyanide (CN) toxicity, treatment, and resulting physiological changes.

Cyanide poisoning kit