Prussic acid, also known as hydrogen cyanide, is a useful but deadly chemical compound that can be synthesized through various processes. It is used in industries such as etchings, explosives, and dyeing, but is also a major component of Zyklon B, a gas used by the Nazis in concentration camps. Prussic acid is extremely poisonous to humans and animals, and high concentrations can cause suffocation. It occurs naturally in some plants and is regulated under the World Chemical Weapons Convention.
Prussic acid, also known as hydrogen cyanide or HCN, is both a useful and a dangerous chemical compound. Although naturally occurring in some plants, this substance can also be synthesized through a variety of chemical processes. While the substance is useful in many industries, it is also deadly poisonous to humans and has been used as a chemical weapon.
Acid was first discovered by scientist Carl Scheele in 1780, who would also discover and describe several elements. It was then examined by Joseph Gay-Lussac in the early 19th century and began to be used in mines. Early processes for obtaining quantities of prussic acid included holding ammonia on heated coal and combining coal, ammonia and sodium and mixing it with an acidic solution, which produces HCN gas.
The uses of prussic acid in industry are many. Etchings, explosives, and dyeing processes all make use of HCN. Historically, it was also used in pest or insect poisons, but has recently been replaced with materials that are less toxic to humans. The United States is a major producer of prussic acid for industrial purposes.
Hydrocyanic acid is extremely poisonous to mammals and high concentrations can kill a human within minutes. It forms a major component of Zyklon B, a brand name gas used by the Nazis during World War II to kill prisoners at the Auschwitz and Majdanek concentration camps. Originally developed as a pesticide by a German Jew named Fritz Haber, Zyklon B was used in the gas chambers of concentration camps, causing the deaths of untold numbers of prisoners.
Under the restrictions of the World Chemical Weapons Convention, prussic acid is considered a Schedule 3 substance, meaning that it has large-scale use for industrial purposes. Any country that produces more than a specified amount of material must declare it and is subject to inspection. There are also regulations governing the export of the material to other countries.
Occasionally, high concentrations of prussic acid occur naturally in some plants, particularly in plants related to sorghum. Small amounts of the compound are found in stone fruits, such as cherries and plums, although this amount is generally not enough to harm a human. Forage or grazing animals are susceptible to prussic acid poisoning if they consume plants in high concentrations. Poisoning restricts oxygen intake and causes suffocation, so treatment is difficult and must be done immediately by a veterinarian. If you have a pet that you think is sick or dead from this variety of poisoning, take samples of any material the pet ate and have it analyzed by a chemical lab.
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