Will do, can you pump out some info on Carbon Monoxide then?
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs after the inhalation of
carbon monoxide gas. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a product of combustion of organic matter under conditions of restricted oxygen supply, which prevents complete oxidation to
carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-irritating, making it difficult for people to detect.
Carbon monoxide is a significantly toxic gas, and CO poisoning is the most common type of fatal poisoning in many countries.
[1] Symptoms of mild poisoning include headaches, vertigo, and
flu-like effects; larger exposures can lead to significant toxicity of the
central nervous system,
heart and even death. Following poisoning, long-term
sequelae often occur. Carbon monoxide can also have severe effects on the
fetus of a pregnant woman.
The mechanisms by which carbon monoxide produces toxic effects are not yet fully understood, but
hemoglobin,
myoglobin, and mitochondrial
cytochrome oxidase are thought to be compromised. Treatment largely consists of administering 100%
oxygen or
hyperbaric oxygen therapy, although the optimum treatment remains controversial.
[2] Domestic carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by early detection with the use of household
carbon monoxide detectors.
Contents
[hide]
[edit] Sources
Common sources of CO that may lead to poisoning include house fires, furnaces or heaters, wood-burning stoves, motor vehicle exhaust, propane-fueled equipment such as portable camping stoves, ice resurfacers,
[3] forklifts,
[4] and gasoline-powered tools such as high-pressure washers, concrete cutting saws, power trowels, floor buffers, and welders used in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces.
[5] CO poisoning can also occur in
scuba diving due to faulty or badly sited
diving air compressors. Generators and propulsion engines on boats, especially houseboats, have resulted in fatal carbon monoxide exposures.
[6] Another source is exposure to the organic solvent
methylene chloride, which is metabolized to CO by the body.
[7]
Concentration Source 0.1 ppm Natural background atmosphere level (
MOPITT) 0.5 to 5 ppm Average background level in homes
[8] 5 to 15 ppm Levels near properly adjusted gas stoves in homes
[8] 100 to 200 ppm Mexico City central area from automobiles
[9] 5,000 ppm Chimney of a home wood fire
[10] 7,000 ppm Undiluted warm car exhaust
[10] 30,000 ppm Undiluted cigarette smoke
[10]
[edit] Symptoms
Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue, are often mistaken for the flu because the deadly gas goes undetected in a home. Prolonged exposure can lead to brain damage and even death.
[edit] Acute
The main manifestations of poisoning develop in the organ systems most dependent on oxygen use: the central nervous system and the heart. The clinical manifestations include
tachycardia and
hypertension, and central nervous system symptoms such as
headache,
dizziness,
confusion,
convulsions, and unconsciousness. Poisoning may also produce myocardial
ischemia,
atrial fibrillation,
pneumonia,
pulmonary edema,
hyperglycemia,
muscle necrosis,
acute renal failure, skin lesions, visual and auditory problems, and
respiratory arrest.
[11]
One of the major concerns following CO poisoning is the severe neurological manifestations that may occur days or even weeks after an acute poisoning. Common problems encountered are difficulty with higher intellectual functions and short-term memory,
dementia, irritability, gait disturbance, speech disturbances,
parkinson-like syndromes,
cortical blindness, and
depression, which can even occur in those accidentally exposed who do not have pre-existing depression.
[12] These delayed
sequelae occur in approximately 15 percent of severely poisoned patients after an interval of 2 to 28 days. It is difficult to predict who may develop delayed sequelae; however, advancing age, loss of consciousness while poisoned, and initial neurological abnormalities may indicate a greater chance of developing delayed symptoms. According to the Philadelphia poison control hotline, sequelae are generally not anticipated when exposure is not severe enough to result in loss of consciousness.
[edit] Chronic
Long term, repeated exposures present a greater risk to persons with
coronary heart disease and in pregnant patients.
[13] Chronic exposure may increase the incidence of cardiovascular symptoms in some workers, such as motor vehicle examiners, firefighters, and welders. Patients often complain of persistent headaches, lightheadedness, depression, confusion, and nausea/vomiting. Upon removal from exposure, the symptoms usually resolve themselves.
[14]
[edit] Toxicity
Carbon monoxide is a significantly toxic gas, although patients may demonstrate varied clinical manifestations with different outcomes, even under similar exposure conditions.
[15][16] Toxicity is also increased by several factors, including: increased activity and
rate of ventilation, pre-existing
cerebral or
cardiovascular disease, reduced
cardiac output,
anemia or other hematological disorders, decreased
barometric pressure, and high
metabolic rate.
Carbon monoxide is life-threatening to
humans and other aerobic forms of
life, as inhaling even relatively small amounts of it can lead to hypoxic injury, neurological damage, and possibly death. A concentration of as little as 0.04% (400 parts per million) carbon monoxide in the air can be fatal. The gas is especially dangerous because it is not easily detected by human senses. One report concluded that carbon monoxide exposure can lead to significant loss of
lifespan after exposure due to damage to the
heart muscle.
[17]
The effects produced by carbon monoxide in relation to ambient concentration in parts per million are listed below:[
citation needed]
Concentration Symptoms 35 ppm (0.0035%) Headache and dizziness within six to eight hours of constant exposure 100 ppm (0.01%) Slight headache in two to three hours 200 ppm (0.02%) Slight headache within two to three hours 400 ppm (0.04%) Frontal headache within one to two hours 1,600 ppm (0.16%) Dizziness, nausea, and convulsions within 45 minutes. Insensible within two hours. 3,200 ppm (0.32%) Headache, dizziness and nausea in five to ten minutes. Death within 30 minutes. 6,400 ppm (0.64%) Headache and dizziness in one to two minutes. Death in less than 20 minutes. 12,800 ppm (1.28%) Unconsciousness after 2-3 breaths. Death in less than three minutes.
, I'd + rep but well.. can't 
