A compound formed when cyanide binds to methemoglobin, a modified form of the oxygen-carrying protein in blood.
From cyano- (blue, from Greek kyanos) + methemoglobin (a variant of hemoglobin where iron is oxidized). The term emerged in toxicology and biochemistry in the 20th century to describe this specific chemical complex.
When cyanide poisoning occurs, it doesn't just attack any hemoglobin—it specifically targets methemoglobin, making this compound a signature of severe poisoning. Medical examiners can actually identify cyanide victims by detecting this particular molecule in their blood.
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