[gwndilshan1989]

I have no education in Chemistry but there is a hot debate in our country right now about the usage of expired tear gas (CS gas - 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile or C10H5ClN2) in protests.

My question to you dear educated people is that is it possible for a 20cc (cubic centimeter) CS gas canister to develop a deadly amount of cyanide after five years?

The gas is being used against university people so I am unable to ask them because I might get a biased answer. Thank you.

I found a Spanish(Venezuelan) article which says CS gas produces Cyanide but in that research there had been 720 expired canisters used but no one had died.

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lapatilla.com%2Fsite%2F2017%2F04%2F10%2Fbombas-lacrimogenas-que-usa-el-gobierno-estan-vencidas-y-emanan-cianuro-recomendaciones%2F&edit-text&act=url

[Hunter2]

I think this article is with a lot of propaganda regarding the bad situation in Venezuela.
The hydrolysis of nitrile guide to the carbonic acid and not to cyanide. For this it needs dramatic temperature impacts, what not take place under normal circumstances. An expired CS-bomb will not work efficient anymore because the groups who cause tear development already destroyed.