title: Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of sodium and potassium cyanide as a forensic signature.
abstract: Sodium and potassium cyanide are highly toxic, produced in large amounts by the chemical industry, and linked to numerous high-profile crimes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified cyanide as one of the most probable agents to be used in a chemical terrorism event. We investigated whether stable C and N isotopic content of sodium and potassium cyanide could serve as a forensic signature for sample matching, using a collection of 65 cyanide samples. Upon analysis, a few of the cyanide samples displayed nonhomogeneous isotopic content associated with degradation to a carbonate salt and loss of hydrogen cyanide. Most samples had highly reproducible isotope content. Of the 65 cyanide samples, >95% could be properly matched based on C and N isotope ratios, with a false match rate <3%. These results suggest that stable C and N isotope ratios are a useful forensic signature for matching cyanide samples.
authors: Chemical and Biological Signature Sciences, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA. Helen.Kreuzer@pnl.gov
authors: Helen W
authors: HW
authors: Kreuzer
authors: Juske
authors: J
authors: Horita
authors: James J
authors: JJ
authors: Moran
authors: Bruce A
authors: BA
authors: Tomkins
authors: Derek B
authors: DB
authors: Janszen
authors: April
authors: A
authors: Carman