92 



HYDROCYANIC -ACID GAS FUMIGATION IN CALIFORNIA. 



of commercial acid forwarded by Mr. Woglum had the following 

 composition : 



No. 6530: Specific gravity, 1.827 (65.4° Baume), 91.21 per cent 



H 2 S0 4 . 



It contained merely a trace of ferrous sulphate, and no chlorids 

 or nitrates were present. This is a fairly representative sample of 

 commercial acid. A trace of nitric acid is sometimes present in 

 commercial sulphuric, but the amount would probably never be 

 large enough to be of any consequence when used for fumigation 

 purposes. 



CYANID SAMPLES. 



Certain cyanid samples received from Mr. Woglum have been 

 analyzed for cyanogen and chlorin. Practically all commercial 

 cyanids contain small amounts of cyanates, carbonates, and traces 

 of other compounds, but none of them has been determined quan- 

 titatively in these samples, as their presence in small amounts does 

 not interfere with the use of these substances for fumigation. 



Table of analyses. 



Serial 

 No. 



Material. 



Total 

 HCN. 



Calculated 

 to NaCN. 



Calculated 

 to KCN. 



Per cent. 

 40.42 

 41.78 

 51.22 

 41.45 

 39.96 

 39.28 

 41.02 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 

 97.41 

 100.68 

 123.44 

 99.88 

 96.30 

 94.67 

 98.85 



75.78 

 92.92 

 75.18 





74.41 



Chlorin, 

 calculated 

 to NaCl. 



6523 

 6524 

 6525 

 6526 

 6527 

 6528 

 6529 



Potassium cyanid "98-99 per cent pure". . 



Sodium cyanid "98-99 per cent pure" 



Sodium cyanid "130 per cent pure " 



Sodium cyanid ' 



Potassium cyanid "98-99 per cent pure". 

 Potassium cyanid "98-99 per cent pure". 

 "Sodium cyanid" 2 



Per cent. 

 0.40 

 14.20 

 .57 



5.82 

 .60 



.77 

 6.15 



1 A mixture of potassium and sodium cyanids (potassium equivalent to 21.03 per cent KCN). 



2 A mixture of potassium and sodium cyanids (potassium equivalent to 57.92 per cent KCN). 



The purity of sodium cyanid is frequently stated in terms of potas- 

 sium cyanid, 100 parts of sodium cyanid being equivalent to 132.85 

 parts of potassium cyanid; that is, 100 parts of sodium cyanid will 

 yield, theoretically, as much hydrocyanic-acid gas as 132.85 parts of 

 potassium cyanid. 



All of these results are calculated to the potassium cyanid equiva- 

 lent for comparison. Samples Nos. 6527 and 6528 had been exposed 

 to the air for three months or longer before they were received and 

 were undergoing slow decomposition, as shown by the odor of ammo- 

 nia which they possessed. Decomposition would have been much 

 more rapid than here shown if the samples had been exposed to moist 

 air. Cyanids should always be kept dry and out of contact with the 

 air to prevent their decomposition. From the table of analyses 

 it will be seen that samples Nos. 6524, 6526, and 6529 contain con- 



