“Please wear trousers”

KEYWORDS: Tianjin China fire safety officials order evacuations following cyanide leaks

BY NORBERT LOSSAU / Die Welt

Tianjin, August 16 – In Tianjin stored 700 tons of highly toxic sodium cyanide. The mega-explosions could be released. The fabric is to cyanide and threatens the environment and people, evacuations start to run.

The Chinese authorities have confirmed that in the explosions in the port city of Tianjin, the highly toxic chemical sodium cyanide leaked. As the wind had turned, would residents evacuate a school again, where they had found refuge, said the National Health and Family Planning Commission on Saturday in Tianjin.

Translation / Die Welt

The people were asked to wear long trousers and face masks. At the crash site several weaker explosions were heard, minor fire broke out.

First reported the Chinese newspaper “Xinjingboa” (“Beijing News”), that in a hall in the port area 700 tons of sodium cyanide had been stored. Meanwhile, traces of this substance to have been detected in waters. Sodium cyanide is a white, translucent powder, which strongly attracts water.

On contact with water, the sodium dissolved therein. If it comes in contact with acids hydrogen cyanide is released.

Sodium cyanide makes hydrogen cyanide in the air

Sodium cyanide with the chemical formula NaCN is literally a devil. Even ordinary humidity is sufficient to decompose the salt, wherein hydrocyanic acid (hydrogen cyanide, HCN) is formed. The toxicity of hydrogen cyanide is well known. Even one milligram of hydrocyanic acid per kilogram of body weight is lethal. Already tiniest traces of hydrogen cyanide may be perceived as a bitter almond odor. And so also sodium cyanide always smells a bit like almonds.

The killer of a cyanide poisoning is an inward suffocation. The cyanide (CN) binds to a specific iron atom in hemoglobin. Known as the “red blood pigment” molecule responsible for oxygen transport in the body. By irreversible reaction with cyanide hemoglobin molecules are rendered inoperable.

The transport of vital oxygen collapses. The dwindling oxygen leads Cyanidopfern mean that they initially want to add more air through heavy breathing. This is even more and even faster cyanide was added and accelerates the onset of death.Cyanidtabletten were decades ago an often-used means for free death and murders.

Why do you need sodium?

Sodium cyanide is so dangerous that it is actually not allowed to escape into the environment. It can poison water sustainably and in the long term. Who does not receive a lethal dose, and takes up the substance orally or through the skin, will be nausea, vomiting, headache,dizziness, confusion, fatigue, anxiety, muscle spasms, impaired consciousness or even unconsciousness.

Why have such large quantities of sodium cyanide are then stored? Why do you need this highly toxic substance? NaCN plays an important role in the metalworking industry. In particular, the cyanides are required for electroplating of metals. When electroplating is defined as the coating of a metal with another metal.

The death toll rose to 104

A police representative in Tianjin said the government newspaper “Beijing News”, the sodium cyanide was detected east of the detonation point. About the amount of cyanide salt and its danger, the police did not specify.

The death toll has risen to 104, reported the state news agency Xinhua. More than 20 of them were firefighters. In addition, 720 people were injured.

Translation / Diet Welt

On Wednesday evening, there had been in a camp for toxic substances and explosive gases two detonations. The cause is unclear. The explosions were felt for kilometers. The port of the 15-million metropolis in northeast China is the tenth largest in the world.

Translation / Die Welt

Natriumcyanid – Das Teufelszeug, das Tianjin vergiftet