Determination of cyanide in animal feeding stuffs

Abstract

A method for the determination of cyanide in feeding stuffs has been developed. Naturally occurring cyano-substituted glycosides are subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis, the liberated cyanide is isolated by aeration and determined either by a spectrophotometric method or by gas chromatography. Recoveries of cyanide added to feeding stuffs at concentrations of 10 and 20 mg kg^–1 were approximately 98%. The method is sensitive to as little as l mg kg^–1 of cyanide.