Cyanide poisoning may result from:1
Inhalation:
gasIngestion:
liquid and solidDermal exposure:
liquid
Example of situations with cyanide poisoning
- Fire smoke
- CBRN* attack
- Industrial accident
*CBRN: Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear
1 – Reade M. et al; Review article: management of cyanide poisoning
2 – Koschel MJ. Where there’s smoke, there may be cyanide. Am J Nurs. 2002; 102:39-42
3 – Fire statistics: England. April 2019 to March 2020. Home Office Statistical Bulletin 22/20
4 – Grabowska T. et al., Prevalence of hydrogen cyanide and carboxyhaemoglobin in victims of smoke inhalation during enclosed-space fires: a combined toxicological risk. Clinical Toxicology; 2012;50(8):759-763
5 – Alcorta R., Smoke inhalation & acute cyanide poisoning, JEMS communications 2004; 6-16
6 – Tuovinen H, Blomqvist P. Modelling of Hydrogen Cyanide Formation in Room Fires. Brandforsk project 321011. SP Report. 2003:10. SP SwedishNational Testing Research Institute: Borås, Sweden.