IN-VITRO CYANIDE RELEASE OF 4 PRUSSIAN BLUE SALTS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF CESIUM CONTAMINATED PERSONS

Prussian blue salts are used in clinical practice as an antidote for t he treatment of humans contaminated with radioactive cesium. A decompo sition product of these Prussian blue salts may be the highly toxic cy anide. A method to simulate gastrointestinal cyanide-release was appli ed to four different Prussian blue salts: K3Fe[Fe(CN)(6)], Fe-4[Fe(CN) (6)](3), NH4Fe[Fe(CN)(6)] (pur. and unpur.). Cyanide-release was highe r in artificial gastric juice than in water and artificial intestinal juice. Under all conditions cyanide-release from Fe-4[Fe(CN)(6)](3) wa s the lowest. Since Fe-4[Fe(CN)(6)](3) also binds more cesium, it appe ars to be the most suitable Prussian blue salt for use as an antidote after radiocesium contamination in humans.