What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon Monoxide is a colourless, odorless, tasteless, toxic gas that has the molecular formula CO. The molecule consists of a carbon atom that is triply bonded to an oxygen atom.
Carbon Monoxide is produced by the incomplete combustion of the fossil fuels - gas, oil, coal and wood used in boilers, engines, oil burners, gas fires, water heaters, solid fuel appliances and open fires.
Carbon Monoxide is a commercially important chemical. It is also formed in many chemical reactions and in the thermal or incomplete decomposition of many organic materials.
Dangerous
amounts of CO can accumulate when, as a result of poor installation,
poor maintenance or failure or damage to an appliance in service,
the fuel is not burned properly, or when rooms are poorly ventilated
and the Carbon Monoxide is unable to escape.
Having no smell,
taste or colour, in today's world of improved insulation and double glazing, it
has become increasingly important to have good ventilation, maintain all appliances
regularly and to have absolutely reliable Detector alarms installed giving both
a visual and audible warning immediately there is a build-up of CO to dangerous
levels.
NO
SMELL and NO TASTE and NO COLOUR
And,
it is for these reasons that CO Detectors are the only way to alert you to increasingly dangerous levels of CO before tragedy strikes.
What
are the effects of Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon Monoxide produces the following physiological effects on people
exposed to the concentrations shown:
Concentration
of CO in air |
Inhalation
time and toxic developed |
50
parts per million (ppm) |
Safety
level as specified by the Health and Safety Executive |
200
PPM |
Slight
headache within 2-3 hours |
400
PPM |
Frontal
headache within 1-2 hours, becoming widespread in 3 hours |
800
PPM |
Dizziness,
nausea, convulsions within 45 minutes, insensible in 2 hours |
Carbon Monoxide poisons by entering the lungs via the normal breathing
mechanism and displacing oxygen from the bloodstream. Interruption
of the normal supply of oxygen puts at risk the functions of the
heart, brain and other vital functions of the body.
The
above information is for a healthy adult. Persons suffering from
heart or respiratory health problems, infants and small children,
unborn children, expectant mothers and pets can be affected by CO poisoning more quickly than others in the household and may be the
first to show symptoms.
To
learn more about protection yourself
click here
To
learn about Carbon Monoxide detectors
click here
Related Searches:
 Carbon Monoxide Level
Carbon Monoxide Gas
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