Introduction Carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide are often found in fire atmospheres. These gases can incapacitate rapidly and thus render the victim unable to escape from the fire. High concentrations of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide found in the blood of fire victims indicate a degree of survival in the toxic fire atmosphere. Concentrations may be sufficiently high in the blood to att...

(CWP) in the USA over the last 30 years. They then state, ‘Similar trends have been noted in Europe’. We would like to expand on this statement in respect of our experience here in the UK. In the UK coal mining industry, health surveillance (by chest X-ray) has been provided, over the last four decades, initially at 5 year, and since 1974, 4 year intervals. The prevalence of CWP among employed ...

This paper aims to assess and compare currently available antidotes for cyanide poisoning. Such evaluation, however, is difficult. Thus, extrapolation from the results of animal studies has potential pitfalls, as significant inter-species differences in response may exist, and these experiments often involve administration of toxin and antidote almost simultaneously, rather than incorporating a...

Metabolic and toxicological data were obtained during the first 24 hours following severe and eventually fatal cyanide poisoning. Initial blood cyanide concentrations were 804 mumol/l but fell rapidly over 24 hours following cobalt edetate therapy to 15 mumol/l. However, plasma thiocyanate concentrations rose over 24 hours (147-267 mumol/l) suggesting continued tissue detoxification. The major ...

With increasing industrialisation man is continuously disturbing the delicate ecological balance. Among the different sources which cause environmental deterioration, hydrogen cyanide is the most important one. Acute cyanide poisoning in man and animals results in incoordination of movements, convulsions, coma and respiratory arrest. At the molecular level it is well known that cyanide inhibits...

Introduction Cyanide is a ubiquitous and potent cytotoxic agent known for its rapid lethal action and toxicity. The sources for cyanide poison are diverse, ranging from fruit pits, nuts, or seeds to industrial-based materials, such as those used in metal processing, electroplating, rubber and plastic production, insecticide and rodenticide production, chemical synthesis, and extraction of gold ...

Cyanide is a highly toxic cellular poison that requires immediate and aggressive treatments. Combination of sodium nitrite (SN) and sodium thiosulfate (STS) is the treatment of choice but oral treatment of alpha-ketoglutarate (A-KG) has also been shown to significantly antagonize cyanide poisoning in laboratory animals. This study reports the efficacy of various treatment regimens as: (i) repea...