Surprising 51+ Carbon Monoxide Facts That You Might Not Know

The gases present in Earth's atmosphere are nitrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, ozone, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.

Carbon monoxide was discovered by an English chemist, Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), who demonstrated that it was different from carbon dioxide. Between the work of Priestley and Arnold, carbon monoxide was described by many alchemists and chemists, who all mentioned the toxicity of the gas.

If there is excess carbon monoxide in the fresh air you breathe, your body can substitute carbon monoxide for oxygen in your red blood cells, causing breathing problems. This causes tissue damage and can lead to death. However, carbon monoxide is not likely to occur at high levels outdoors.

What are the safest levels of carbon monoxide?

 Carbon monoxide is the most plentiful gas in the fresh air, producing huge quantities during volcanic eruptions. It is a gas with basically no color, odor, or taste that is lighter than air.

It is sometimes called carbonic oxide or exhaust gas. Under high pressure, it turns into a liquid. It is produced by incomplete combustion of various carbon fuels like coal, oil, natural gas, gasoline, wood, and indoor charcoal.

• When carbon monoxide is in the state of having no protection against it, it is the most prevalent method of death by exposure to poison in the world.
• The World Health Organisation decided the maximum levels of CO both for clean air outdoors and air quality for indoors.
• The recommended limits are 9-10 parts per million for not more than eight hours.
• A CO alarm is a time-weighted alarm. The working method is by calculating the accumulation of carbon monoxide in a house. To establish carbon monoxide poisoning, you need to be uncovered to a carbon monoxide level of 50 ppm for eight hours.
• The response of the CO alarm depends on the amount of CO in the air. The alarm will make noise after half an hour of continuous exposure at a level of 50 ppm.

Uses Of Carbon Monoxide

Did you know that hemoglobin affected by carbon monoxide was discovered by James Watt and Thomas Beddoes into the therapeutic capability of hydro carbonate? Let's find out more uses of carbon monoxide.

• Carbon monoxide is indeed a vital component of the industrial process. In the form of water gas, it is greatly used in industrial operations as fuel.
• Carbon-based fuels are used in cooking equipment, heaters, motor vehicles.
• When carbon monoxide is allowed to pass through hot iron oxides, the oxides reduce to metallic iron, while carbon monoxide is oxidized to carbon dioxide.
• Carbon monoxide acts as a neurotransmitter created in small amounts by enzymatic and non-enzymatic processes and can be used as a medicinal agent.
• CO reacts with cobalt, iron, and nickel to form compounds called carbonyls.
• Carbonyls have abnormal chemical and physical properties that are used in industry. It is used in the operations of loading and unloading cargo.

Effects Of Monoxide

Most of the people who lose their life because of carbon monoxide, die because of CO produced by non-motor vehicles.

• Consumer products are appliances that burn fuel. By developing a fault in the functioning of heating systems like a water heater, room heater, portable generators, charcoal indoors that burns in homes.
• When a car is in a detached garage, people may lose their life due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Thus carbon monoxide is very dangerous.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning happens in gradual increments. Intense symptoms include mental confusion, loss of consciousness, loss of muscular coordination, and vomiting.
• Inhaling this poisonous gas at low levels for an extended period of time can also have a negative impact on brain chemistry.
• Carbon monoxide is the most dangerous when people are experiencing increased stress.
• Continuous exposure to carbon monoxide causes blackouts, vomiting, brain damage, and even death. The effect depends on the amount of carbon monoxide inhaled and the longer exposure time.

Interesting Facts About Carbon Monoxide

Many emergency room visits in the United States are because of carbon monoxide poisoning. When portable generators are used during winter, poisoning can occur.

Harmful effects are caused by carbon monoxide when it is combined with hemoglobin. This produces carboxyhemoglobin that prevents oxygen in the blood and expels carbon dioxide as carbaminohemoglobin, which leads to a reduction of oxygen in the brain.

• Carbon monoxide is a gas that is poisonous when you breathe it in. It is called a silent killer as you can't smell or taste it. It creeps up on you without any warning and can take lives. Keep a lookout for common symptoms like headache, chest pain, dizziness, vomiting, and weakness.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning can't be detected through human senses.
• Carbon monoxide is a lethal gas and is deadly. If we breathe carbon monoxide-contained air, it gets absorbed in the blood and displaces oxygen, hindering the ability of the blood to carry oxygen to vital organs like the brain and heart.
• The origin of carbon monoxide is a secondary product of incomplete combustion.
• Any burning appliances can produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide gas. Some of the burning appliances are automobiles, burning charcoal grills, wood stoves, gas ovens, fried fuel furnaces, gas water heaters, and other gas appliances.

Methods to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning are as follows:

• Appliances should be installed as per the instructions of the manufacturer and professionals.
• Your heating system should be serviced once a year.
• Chimneys should be checked for any damage in the metal, blockages, and imperfect connections.
• Kerosene space heaters should use appropriate fuel. The use of burning charcoal or a barbecue grill in a home should be avoided.
• Fuel-burning camping equipment that can be easily moved should not be used inside a vehicle, garage, tent, or at home. Even if the garage door is open, leaving a car running in a connected garage is not a good idea.
• In a room where people sleep, appliances that burn fuel should not be used. Do not use the kitchen range to heat the house.
• Installing a CO alarm or CO detector to warn of gas buildup is the best way to alert your household. Additional CO alarms should be installed at every level of your home for added security. If CO alarms do not make a sound, emergency services have to be sought from a qualified technician. To be sure, some questions should be asked of everyone in the house, such as whether anyone is suffering flu symptoms. If anyone feels ill, the house should be evacuated, a head count conducted, and the fire department should be called. Allowing fresh air to circulate is the greatest remedy for carbon monoxide gas.
• A CO detector is set by CO concentration and is measured in parts per million. Gas ranges from low to dangerous CO levels. These are low levels: 50 ppm and less, to a dangerous level: greater than 101 ppm and will be noticed if someone is experiencing symptoms.
• The instructions from the manufacturer should include advice to check the battery backup of your CO detector. Batteries have to be tested and replaced twice a year.