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In article ,
Spider wrote:

Also be very careful that you don't burn laurel (the prunus type) indoors.
It gives off cyanide fumes, as it will in the garden so always stand
upwind
from it.

Really? That sounds most implausible. Hydrogen cyanide is extremely
flammable, with a flash point of -17.78 degrees Celsius and an
autoignition temperature of only 538 degrees Celsius.


It is, as you know, a well-documented fact that laurel (prunus laurocerasus)
contains hydrogen cyanide. When put on a domestic fire - indoors or
outdoors - it will usually smoulder for some time before catching fire.
Certainly, when the cyanide gas catches fire, it will be burnt off, but
until then it will rise in the warm air and disperse. Outdoors, one can
stand upwind and hope to avoid it but, I for one would not want to risk
breathing that contaminated air indoors in a confined space. Unfortunately,
my ex-fireman father is not available for a couple of days, but I will
discuss this with him when next we speak.
It is just possible that being brought up as the daughter of a fireman, I am
a little paranoid :~), but I would rather be paranoid than dead.


http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguide...cognition.html

Obviously, don't burn it under circumstances where you might be at
risk from carbon monoxide, because hydrogen cyanide is even more
toxic, but LOTS of the Rosaceae contain quite a lot of cyanides
and Prunus laurocerasus isn't as extreme as people think. Every
time I shred my Cotoneaster franchetti, there is a strong smell
of bitter almonds, for example :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


Thanks for the link, btw, most interesting.

Spider