Home   General Information    History    Uses     Explanation of Structure

                                                            Reference           Back to Chemistry Page

Uses

    Potassium Cyanide is an example of a simple salt formed from cyanide.  Another example of a salt formed from cyanide is sodium cyanide.  Cyanide salts are mainly used in electroplating, the production of organic chemicals, in photographic development, in the extraction of gold and silver from ore,  in the making of plastics, and as an insecticide.  A specific use of the potassium cyanide salt as a chemical for gas chamber executions.  When potassium cyanide mixes with water, it produces hydrogen cyanide which is extremely poisonous.  The hydrogen cyanide enables the person's hemoglobin to perform, which prevents oxygen to the cells.   This use of potassium cyanide can be controversial since not all people believe in the death penalty ("Cyanide Compounds Chemical Backgrounder").   Other specific uses Potassium Cyanide involve death in some sort.  Although not used as frequently as other uses of potassium cyanide due to its possible harm to humans, potassium cyanide is sometimes used as an insecticide.  Another use of cyanide that many people can be against is as a way of suicide.  People can technically have their own gas chamber executions.  Taking a pure cyanide pill can be deadly when swallowed as well ("Cyanide Compounds Chemical Backgrounder"). 

A gas chamber              A grinder from an ore factory

http://www.agitator.com/dp/methods/gas.html                                        http://tv.cbc.ca/national/pgminfo/ugly/mining.html     

Symptoms of KCN poisoning 

    Potassium cyanide poisoning works by preventing oxygen to be used in all the cells in a body.  Consequently, the cells can not produce oxygen and the misfortunate individual that obtained the KCN dies ("Poisons Available to Some").  Only .15 - .30 grams of KCN is needed for the dose to be of lethal potential (Kyodo News). Some symptoms that could be seen from a person who somehow obtained KCN poisoning would be a breath odor of bitter almonds, dizziness, convulsions, a possible collapsing of the individual, and foaming from the mouth ("Cyanide").