Carbon Monoxide: The Leading Cause Of Death In The USA

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and poisonous gas. CNESST reported that 4 workers died at work of CO poisoning in the last 5 years. (25) CO could be fatal at certain concentration. Its effects can occur well before being aware enough of its presence. In Canada, more than 50 person lose their life each year from CO poisoning, of which an average of 11 deaths in Ontario. Every year significant number are suffering from CO poisoning, many of whom are permanently disabled. In Canada between 2000 and 2009, 380 accidental deaths were documented by CO. (27) Headache, nausea, burning eyes, fainting, confusion, and drowsiness are such alarm that you are exposed to CO. (28) Exposure to CO may be particularly dangerous for elderly,

Carbon monoxide is a potentially deadly gas emitted by gas burning appliances. Considering it is colorless, odorless and tasteless if a leak occurs only a carbon monoxide detector can alert you and your family to its presence in your home. Install the detectors near the bedrooms and at least one on each floor.

Carbon dioxide is very important in the atmosphere, however only in moderation. For centuries humans have been burning coal, oil, and fossil fuels therefore releasing tons of carbon into the air. The problem with this is that this can cause a problem known as global warming. This is a major climate problem, which has series results on people and the environment. The result on people can be very deadly. Too much carbon in the air can cause cancer.

The following quote supports this theme because the discovery of that carbon monoxide cannot be absorbed by a body after death led to innovations in forensic science in the courtroom. Ever since forensic sciences had started, they were not really taken seriously as evidence in the courtroom. Often forensic toxicologists were forced to prove themselves to jurors by poisoning cats or swaying flasks of chloroform in front of them to prove their work. Now, they would be taken seriously with a testimony and statistics. Through experiments with deceased people and carbon monoxide Gettler proved that “soaking in carbon monoxide for hours after death had no effect at all…without breath, carbon monoxide was just another gas aimlessly swirling in the air” (144). This connects to biology because you need to be able to inhale carbon monoxide for it to have an effect on you. Once breathed in, carbon monoxide bonds to the transport protein hemoglobin, muscling oxygen out of its path. The result is carboxyhemoglobin, which is transported to your cells through the bloodstream. You soon die because your cells are staved of

Maybe when you drive your car in the country you don’t think about the effect this is having on a coral reef in Far North Queensland? Increased carbon monoxide decreases the waters pH making the oceans more acidic thus affecting to some degree the marine life and its ecosystems. From a current pH level of 8.2, it is predicted by current marine biologists that the oceans pH level could fall to around 7.8 by 2100, even small amounts of ocean acidity increases could ultimately decrease the capacity of corals to build skeletons and thus decreases the ability to create habitats for marine

In some of the states within the United States, we have witnessed new policies that have created indoor carbon monoxide poisoning requirements to avoid the giant poisonings that occur otherwise. At the suggestion of the authors of this report published in the CDC, health officials should look at considering these setting up these requirements for the safety of everyone involved.

When smoke is inhaled to the lungs, the cells responsible for the gas exchange are damaged. These cells are known as alveoli and overtime the toxins inhaled break the very thin walls which makes it harder for oxygen to be brought into the body and carbon dioxide to leave the body. Both of these gases become trapped inside of the lungs which then further limits gas exchange. This trapping of air is known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The decrease in the body's ability to obtain oxygen has an effect on every cell in the human body, causing weakness and damage to every muscle and organ group. This damage causes an increase in oxygen demand in the cells which in turn causes the heart to increase blood pressure to keep up with the rising

Breathing smog triggers asthma attacks, irritates lungs and is associated with premature death, according to the U.S. Global Change Research Program report. After extreme weather events, people suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from use of portable generators when storms knock out power. Additionally, evacuees suffer intestinal illness, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Events like tornadoes, floods and hurricanes are predicted to increase as a result of global warming, with a corresponding rise in storm-related injuries, illnesses, emotional trauma and death. With a corresponding rise in storm-related injuries, illnesses, emotional trauma and death. The U.S. Global Change Research Program report noted that in the 2005 hurricane season more than 2, 000 people were killed, more than double the seasonal average of the past 65 years. After extreme weather events, people suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from use of portable generators when storms knock out power. Carbon monoxide prevents oxygen in the blood from being carried throughout the body, causing asphyxiation. The effects depend on how much carbon monoxide is in the air, how long it is breathed, and how healthy, active, and sensitive to CO an individual is. Exposure to CO is worse for older people, fetuses, and people with heart, circulatory, or lung disease. Low concentrations of CO can cause

Carbon dioxide kills by displacing oxygen in the air and causing suffocation. If that is the case, doesn’t it defeat the purpose when paramedics use mouth-to-mouth as a technique for resuscitation?

The researcher states that in 1994 Carbon Monoxide was detected as a minor part of the Earth's atmosphere. They search that endogenous carboxy- hemoglobin level is about 0.5% to be exact because of Hb catabolism. They said that in a normal person that is non-smoker the average percentage is 1 while in heavy smokers it is 15%. They emphasize that in U.S. more or less 2700 fatalities were recorded annually, while in Britain was 50 and about 200 were severely injured after they experience Carbon Monoxide poisoning. They think that Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer because it is odorless, you will not feel any irritation and colorless. The researchers said that most of the victims of Carbon Monoxide were exposed to different kinds of appliance that produce a Carbon Monoxide, like water heaters, grillers, and tobacco smoke. About the autopsy of the survivors of Carbon Monoxide poisoning, they found that possessed neuro-anatomical injury, where the white matter is destroyed, atrophy of the globus pallidus, thalamus, and cortical atrophy.

Carbon monoxide, which is essentially produced through the enzymatic actions of heme oxygenase (HO), appears to have as similar biochemical properties as NO. Activation of guanylyl cyclase produces high levels of c GMP, and this was attributed to the actions of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide acts as a physiological vasodilator in hepatic microcirculation. In contrast, up-regulated inducible HO-1 mRNA expression was detected in the right ventricle in animal model of congestive heart failure. Increased carbon monoxide levels are frequently found in cirrhotic patients. Experimental evidence also suggests this substance may be implicated in CCM pathogenesis. This is largely based on the finding of the elevated HO-1 mRNA and protein expression

Central Idea: Carbon Monoxide is a deadly, odorless, colorless, tasteless gas but with proper education and detection you can avoid becoming another statistic of carbon monoxide poisoning.

   The United States releases twenty tons of carbon monoxide per person per year. Carbon Monoxide release is a result of burning fossil fuels with an insufficient amount of oxygen that causes the formation of carbon monoxide that pollutes our environment. Everyday fuel is burnt by cars, airplanes, large factories and manufacturing plants. This is causing a very large and deadly problem for our environment. When gases used on earth are released into the atmosphere they act as a blanket and trap radiation that is then redirected to earth. This concept is called the Greenhouse Effect (Bad Greenhouse, 1).

Since the Industrial Revolution, there has been an increased presence of pollutants and carcinogens in the environment, specif-ically in urban areas.1 The presence of airborne pollutants can lead to an increase in allergic reactions and asthma rates. A common airborne pollutant is carbon monoxide (CO), which is commonly found in diesel exhaust. It is an odorless gas produced from me-thane and non-methane hydrocarbon oxidation.2 The toxic gas eliminates and takes the place of oxygen in the form of carboxy-hemoglobin when it binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells. It also affects the binding sites of heme groups, which complicates the transfer of oxygen to tissues.3 The majority of deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning is brought on from car exhaust.4 Between the years 1979 and 1988, 57% of deaths from carbon monoxide poi-soning were brought from car exhaust. There tend to be higher rates of carbon monoxide poisoning from car exhaust in northern regions, where temperatures are relatively low (Figure 1). 5

Even for people without breathing conditions, breathing secondhand smoke for a brief period can be deadly.