particulate pollution

5 harmful effects of carbon monoxide

Society

Meaning

Carbon monoxide is a odourless and colorless that is toxic if inhaled in large amounts. Burning anything produces CO. The largest sources of CO in outdoor air are cars, trucks, and other vehicles or machines that burn fossil fuels. Various items in the house such as B. Unvented kerosene and gas stoves, chimney and stove leaks, and gas furnaces can also emit CO and affect indoor air quality.

carbon monoxide
carbon monoxide


Carbon monoxide –

Carbon monoxide is harmful because it binds to hemoglobin in the blood, reducing the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. The most common effects of CO exposure are fatigue, headache, confusion and dizziness due to lack of oxygen supply to the brain.

Effects of carbon monoxide
Breathing air with high concentrations of CO reduces the amount of oxygen carried by the bloodstream to vital organs such as the heart and brain.

Very high concentrations of CO, which can occur indoors or in other confined environments, can cause dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness, and death.

Very high CO concentrations are unlikely to occur outdoors. However, elevated CO levels outdoors can be of particular concern for people with certain types of heart disease. These people already have a reduced ability to carry oxygen-rich blood to their hearts in situations where the heart needs more oxygen than normal. They are especially susceptible to CO2 when functioning or under increased stress.

In these situations, short-term exposure to elevated CO can reduce the oxygen supply to the heart and cause chest pain, also known as angina.

CO exposure
Most people spend a lot of time indoors. This is especially true in Fairbanks and other cold regions during the winter months when CO concentrations in the environment tend to be at their highest. This leads to the problem of the relationship between indoor and outdoor concentrations. Indoor air pollution can come from indoor sources or from air exchange with outdoor air pollution.

Air exchange can be active, as in mechanical ventilation systems, or passive, as in seepage, which is related to temperature or pressure differences between the outside and inside of a building. CO enters freely with permeating air from the outside and cannot be removed by building materials or ventilation systems. Moreover, there are no effective indoor chemical or physical processes to degrade CO on time scales that are targeted for exposure and toxic effects.

Solution to carbon monoxide pollution
Install a carbon monoxide detector. Place one in the hallway next to each bedroom in your home. Check the batteries every time you check the batteries in your smoke alarm – at least twice a year. When the alarm sounds, get out of your house and call 911 or the fire department. Carbon monoxide detectors are also available for RVs and boats. Open the garage door before starting the car. Do not leave your car running in the garage. Especially if you have an attached garage. Even with the garage door open, it’s never safe to leave your car in an area that’s connected to the rest of your home.


Use recommended gas appliances. Do not use gas stoves or ovens to heat your home. Portable camping gas stoves should only be used outdoors. Only use fuel-burning space heaters when someone is awake and supervising, and doors and windows are open for fresh air. Do not operate the generator in an enclosed space such as a basement or garage.
Make sure fuel-powered equipment and engines are properly bled. These include:

space heater
oven
charcoal grill
stove
kettle
chimney
portable generator
Wood-burning stove
car and truck engines
Ask your utility company for an annual inspection of all gas appliances, including stoves.

Conclusion

If you have a chimney, keep it in good condition. Clean your chimney and flue every year.
Keep vents and chimneys clean during remodeling. Make sure it is not covered by tarp or debris. Make repairs before returning to the scene of the accident. If carbon monoxide poisoning occurs in your home, it’s important to find and repair the source of the carbon monoxide before you sleep there again. Your local fire department or utility company may be able to help.


Be careful when handling solvents in confined areas. Methylene chloride, a common solvent in paint and varnish strippers, can decompose (metabolize) into carbon monoxide if inhaled. Contact with methylene chloride can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

carbon monoxide
carbon monoxide
chelseadsouza30

I hold a Bachelor's degree. I write passionately about topics of my interest and the recent happenings which I would like to being into the limelight. So stay connected for some amazing and knowledgeable content to enlighten every mood