1.4. UBIQUITY OF CYANIDE COMPOUNDS. IN NATURE Cyanide compounds occur commonly in nature. HCN is present in outer space, in the earth’s atmo- sphere, in plants, animals, microbes, and fungi. Cyanide can be produced by certain plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae. Chapter 3, which examines natural sources of cyanide, discusses in detail the occur- rence, role, and environmental impactof cyanide in plants, animals, microbes, and fungi. The natural cycle of cyanide in the environment is the focus of Chapter 12. 1.4.1, CYANIDEIN OUTER SPACE Hydrogen cyanide has been detected at a number of locations in outer space. For example, itis a trace constituent in the nitrogenous atmosphere of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn [14], and in the ‘coma of the Hale-Bopp comet [15]. Polymerization products of HCN are the dominant components ‘of dust grains sampled from the tail of Comet 81P/Wild2 in 2004 [16]. This presence of HCN in space is now being used to study the birth of massive stars [17]. The detection of large amounts of HCN toward the center of a protostar (an evolving star) means that it has already started to warm up; from this information itis possible to determine the degree of evolution and the age of the star [17] 1.4.2 HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE Hydrogen cyanide is detectable in the troposphere and stratosphere of the earth, Its concentra. tion in the nonurban troposphere of the northern hemisphere has been reported as approximately 160 pptv [18]. In the tropical upper troposphere, a range of HCN concentrations from 200 to 900 ppty hhas been reported [19]. From field measurements and modeling it has been established that biomass burning is a major global source of HCN emissions [19,20]. Estimates of the total release of HCN to the atmosphere from biomass burning range from 1.4 to 2.9 x 10!? g (as N) per year [19]. The residence time of HCN in the atmosphere is approximately two to four months [19]. The oceans of the world provide a sink for the atmospheric releases of HCN and other compounds from biomass ‘burning (19), as discussed in Chapter 11.