UMEM Educational Pearls

Keywords

Category

Author

Title: Mysterious Poisoning

Category: Toxicology

Keywords: sodium azide (PubMed Search)

Posted: 10/29/2009 by Fermin Barrueto (Updated: 7/21/2026)

Toxicology Expert: Poisoning Of Harvard University Scientists "No Accident"

6 scientists in a Boston area lab drank coffee that was laced with sodium azide
Presented with hypotension, nausea and vomiting - one had a syncopal episode
Sodium Azide is a chemical compound (NaN3) that is used as a preservative at very low concentrations but in higher concentrations can be lethal. It is even found in the propellant that is found in automobile airbag mechanisms
It acts similiar to cyanide where it inhibits cytochrome oxidase and presents like a cyanide poisoning.
No antidote, cyanide antidote kit will not work