TITLE:
A New Method for the Determination of Cyanide Ions and Their Quantification in Some Senegalese Cassava Varieties
AUTHORS:
Younoussa Diallo, Momar Talla Gueye, Cheikh Ndiaye, Mama Sakho, Amadou Kane, Jean Paul Barthelemy, Georges Lognay
KEYWORDS:
Cassava; Cyanogenic Glycosides; Cyanide Ion; Micro-Diffusion; Toxicity
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry,
Vol.5 No.3,
February
21,
2014
ABSTRACT: Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a starchy staple food that
previous researches have showed to contain cyanogenic compounds, precursors of
hydrocyanic acid, undoubtedly toxic for humans. With the aim to determine food
security in cassava, this study developed a simple, fast and less expensive
step for quantifying cyanide ions by using micro-diffusion with modified Conway
cells. After an enzymatic degradation, the cyanide ions were quantified by
electrochemical procedures. The validation of this method is estimated. The
concentration of cyanide ions at different part of the samples was determined.
The results showed high toxicity in some fresh Senegalese consumed cassava
varieties (>100 mg HCN·kg﹣1). However, in the processed cassava
products, less than 10 mg HCN·kg﹣1 was found in the different
varieties studied except for the chips where the levels of CN﹣ contents
were important (>49 mg HCN·kg﹣1).