September 4, 2012

Rapid response in cases of smoke poisoning




Smoke poisoning can be caused by a number of things, including cyanides, the salts of hydrocyanic acid. Because the quick diagnosis and treatment of victims with cyanide poisoning is critical and often lifesaving, it is very surprising that a cyanide test for emergency situations is not yet available. Now, chemists at the University of Zurich have developed a simple and reliable procedure to detect blood cyanide in less than two minutes.