Determination of cyanide and thiocyanate in blood by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

We devised a sensitive and simple method for determining cyanide and its major metabolite, thiocyanate, in blood using an extractive alkylation technique. Pentafluorobenzyl bromide was used as the alkylating agent, and tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride was used as the phase-transfer catalyst. The derivatives obtained were analyzed qualitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and quantitatively by gas chromatography with an electron-capture detection. The detection limits of cyanide and thiocyanate were 0.01 and 0.003 mumol/ml, respectively, while the gross recovery of both compounds was 80%. The calibration curve was linear over the concentration range from 0.02 to 1.0 mumol/ml for cyanide and from 0.01 to 1.0 mumol/ml for thiocyanate. The accuracy and precision of the method were evaluated, and the coefficients of variation were found to be within 10%. Using the method, the blood levels of two victims who had died from cyanide poisoning were determined.