Hydrogen cyanide - HCN
Hydrogen cyanide - HCN
Find here the main information on hydrogen cyanide or "cyanidic acid" (HCN), its physical characteristics, its effects on health, the means of detecting it (HCN gas detector) as well as the appropriate respiratory protection equipment (gas mask or assisted ventilation device with type B anti-gas filter ).
Main characteristics of hydrogen cyanide (HCN)
Ranging in color from colorless (invisible) to pale blue , hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is distinguished by its bitter almond odor . It is a highly toxic gas (T+) that has many harmful and even lethal characteristics for living organisms, including humans. With explosive limits between 5.6 and 40%, this chemical compound is extremely flammable (F+).
Health Effects of Hydrogen Cyanide
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN), also called " cyanidric acid " or " formonitrile ", is a chemical compound that can be found in both gas and liquid form. Widely used as an insecticide, it is also used for fumigation activities in the chemical industry. It can be formed accidentally during chemical reactions between cyanide and an acid, or by fire and combustion of nitriles.
HCN (Hydrogen Cyanide) Gas Detector
Despite its bitter almond odor, only a HCN gas detector can accurately measure the concentrations of this gas. Although explosive at 5.6% volume, an explosiveness measurement is useless with this highly toxic gas, so we will move towards a portable or fixed hydrogen cyanide detection.
For the calibration and gas testing of your fixed or portable gas detectors, hydrogen cyanide standard gas cylinders are available.
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) respiratory protection
Highly toxic, we will move towards filtering respiratory protection such as a half-mask or a full mask for short-term interventions or towards a powered ventilation device (more comfortable) with type B anti-gas filters. If the concentrations exceed 60 times the VLEP, an isolating respiratory device will be essential.