Sodium cyanide: what is sodium cyanide and how dangerous is it to humans and wildlife?

What is sodium cyanide – how dangerous is it to humans and wildlife?

Sodium cyanide blocks cellular respiration which in short leads to death by suffucation – asphyxiation at the cellular level. In high doses, death occurs rapidly.

Symptoms displayed following contact with sodium cyanide include shortness of breath, dizziness and discombobulation. You will likely feel sick, leading to vomiting and could pass out. In high doses, those exposed to it will die within minutes. Other ailments felt following contact with sodium cyanide include feeling weak, confused and often leads with a severe migraine-like headache.

Even in relatively small doses, sodium cyanide is deadly to birds, fish and mammals. Spills into water have been known to cause mass die-offs of aquatic and marine life. Sodium cyanide ranks among the most deadly, rapidly-acting poisons.

When used productively, usually in mining, its highly corrosive properties mean strict governance laws are in place.