[The quantitative determination of cyanide by FTD-GC].

In recent buildings, new materials containing chemical goods, chemical fibers and the like are in common use. Some of them evolve hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when burning. When a person meets a fire, therefore, it is necessary to measure his blood concentration of HCN as well as that of CO-Hb%. The blood concentration of HCN can be measured by colorimetry such as pyridine-pyrazolone method, gas-chromatography, electrode method, or the like. However, these methods require much time in pretreatment and the preparation of the reagent. We have investigated to find a new measurement method free from the above demerits, so that we have found the method by FTD-GC (Flame Thermionic Detecter Gas-chromatograph) is convenient and can be effected in a short time in comparison with the aforementioned method. GC-7AG made by Shimadzu Co. is employed as gas-chromatography and the headspace method is used in the quantitative determination. Samples are employed as solutions of potassium cyanide (KCN) either in distilled water or in fresh blood. The concentration of KCN is gradient in the range of 0.5-6 micrograms/ml. The quantitative conditions is investigated by a solution in distilled water as standard. Using this method, the concentration of HCN in the blood sample is determined slightly lower than that in the distilled water; however, this method is advantageous in convenience and the saving of time. Therefore, the method is useful in practice for the determination of the concentration of HCN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)