There are many legends about the substance called “potassium cyanide”. One of them says that death from cyanide is painful, but instantaneous. This ridiculous statement was made by filmmakers, often showing the terrible death of movie heroes poisoned by this poisonous substance.
Potassium cyanide is indeed a very toxic substance. Its lethal dose to humans is 1.7 mg / kg. However, there are people who are able to survive after larger doses. In addition, a full stomach, a food containing sulfur (eggs, meat, legumes) can significantly slow down the absorption of poison. Just like carbohydrates. A vivid example of this is the death of Grigory Rasputin. Filled with cakes, his stomach slowed down the action of the poison so much that poisoning developed extremely slowly.
Potassium cyanide is a white crystalline powder with a strong smell of bitter almonds. It is highly soluble in water, poorly soluble in ethanol and completely insoluble in carbohydrates. Outwardly, the powder is similar to granulated sugar, which has been used more than once by famous poisoners. Its properties as a chemical substance are based on the ability of the drug to exert a very strong inhibitory effect and block tissue respiration. It happens like this. Once in the body, potassium cyanide reacts with cytochrome c-oxidase (this is such a cellular enzyme responsible for oxygen transfer). By completely blocking this enzyme, cyanide deprives the cells of the ability to absorb oxygen, and a person dies from its deficiency (more precisely, from interstitial hypoxia).
Andidotic (neutralizing) properties for this strongest inorganic poison are substances containing sulfur, carbohydrates that can have a methemoglobin-forming effect. These include amyl nitrite, methylene blue, (commonly known as “blue”), anticyan.
In private conversations and on online forums you can often find the question: “Where to buy potassium cyanide?”. The answer will disappoint suicide fans. Neither potassium cyanide itself nor its antidotes can be bought. Nowhere: neither in pharmacies, nor in stores. Even in special laboratories, every hundredth gram of this substance is counted. Therefore, do not demonstrate demonstrative suicide with the help of potassium cyanide: there is a chance that you simply will not be able to get you to where there is an antidote.
Typically, cyanide is obtained in specialized laboratories by organizing a reaction of hydrogen cyanide with potassium hydroxide or by calcining a yellow blood salt at a very high temperature. The obtained compound is used for cyanidation (production of precious metals from ore rocks), in jewelry production, electroplating of certain metals (cadmium, for example, or copper).
Cyanide reserves cannot be created. The hydrocyanic acid corresponding to cyanide ion is so weak that it is quickly displaced by any other acids, turning poisonous cyanide into harmless potash. To do this, you do not even need to carry out chemical reactions: it is worth leaving potassium cyanide in the air, allowing it to act on carbon dioxide and water, as soon as it turns into a harmless and completely non-toxic potassium carbonate.
So where to get cyanide? Houses.
To get potassium cyanide at home, you need to take hydrocyanic acid (or cyanide acid) and combine it with potash. However, the final product is not always obtained. Firstly, highly toxic (that is, extremely toxic to others) hydrocyanic acid vapors. Secondly, it can explode from uncontrolled polymerization.
You can use coal tablets, but for it to react, it will take a long time to warm it up (about 300 years).
So it is best not to engage in amateur performances, and bad thoughts are simply thrown out of my head.