Cyanide

Cyanides are created by various bacteria, algae and fungi and can also be discovered in certain foods and plants. Some seeds and stones can also contain cyanide in small amounts, for example peach, mango bitter almonds and apple pips and stones all contain trace amounts of cyanide. The cyanides found in plants are mostly bound to the sugar molecules as cyanogenic glycosides and serve the purpose of protecting the plant against herbivore animals that would potentially eat them. You can also find cyanogenic glycosides in cassava roots. Sometimes called manioc, cassava roots are a potato like food that is grown importantly in some tropical countries.

Cyanide Uses

The main purpose for the production of cyanide is in the mining of gold and silver. It can aid in dissolving these ores and metals. However this process can result in adverse health and environmental problems. Cyanide also had some limited application in medical uses, for example the compound sodium nitroprusside can sometimes be used in emergency medical situations as it can produce a quick decrease in the blood pressure of humans.

It is also controversially used in the illegal practice of capturing live tropical fish from coral reefs. The high demand from the aquarium and seafood markets are responsible for driving this dangerous and damaging use of cyanide.

Cast bronze sculpting will sometimes use potassium ferrocyanide during the final finishing stage to produce a blue color on the cast. It’s possible to achieve a varying number of shades and tints by mixing it with other chemicals, and is applied using a paint brush and torch.

Deaths

There have been many reports throughout history of cyanide being used to poison people. Probably the most infamous example of this in history is by Nazi Germany in some gas chambers during the Holocaust. They used it in the form of hydrogen cyanide. Cyanides have been employed for both judicial executions and attempted murders, as well a a number of notable suicides in history.