| Pleasant Valley Fire Fighters |
What
is Carbon Monoxide?
How are people exposed to Carbon Monoxide?
What levels of exposure have resulted in harmful health
effects?
Is air monitoring available?
What are some measures to prevent build-up of carbon
monoxide?
Do standards exist for regulating carbon monoxide?
Is there a medical test to determine if someone has
been exposed to carbon monoxide?
What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, tasteless, odorless,
and non-irritating gas. It is produced from the incomplete burning of many
fuels.
How are people exposed to Carbon Monoxide?
Common sources of carbon monoxide include un-vented heaters
(gas, kerosene); charcoal grills; coal, wood and gas stoves not properly vented
or adjusted; fireplaces with improper ventilation or back drafting; faulty
furnaces, faulty hot water heaters; and automobile exhaust fumes. Cigarette smoke
also produces carbon monoxide.
What levels of exposure have resulted in
harmful health effects?
Carbon monoxide starves the body and brain of oxygen. Long-term
exposure to low levels of CO can cause healthy people to feel tired and drowsy.
It can cause shortness of breath and chest pain in people with heart disease.
At higher levels, healthy people can experience irritability, headaches, rapid
breathing, blurred vision, lack of coordination, nausea, dizziness, confusion,
and impaired judgment. Children, persons with respiratory illness, anemia,
heart problems, and senior citizens may be particularly sensitive. the health
effects of CO exposure are generally discussed in terms of the % of carboxyhemoglobin
(COHb) in the blood.
The following concentrations of CO in the air, measured in
parts per million, should only be used as guidelines in assessing health hazards
for long-term (e.g. 8 hours or longer) and short-term (e.g. 8 hours or less)
exposures. It is important to know the concentration and length of exposure
to predict adverse health effects. Concentration of CO also increases with level
of activity. The minimum lethal CO blood concentration has not been established:
Air Concentration ppm (parts per million) |
Health Effects |
Long-term exposure (e.g 8 hours or longer) |
|
| 0-9 | No measurable adverse health effects |
| 9-30 | Minimal adverse health effects, usually related to longs, heart, and nervous system, especially in more susceptible people (i.e. heart disease, ill elderly, very young, etc.) Exposure should not continue over 8 hours. Immediate action to determine source. |
| 30-35 | Normal healthy humans can experience symptoms such as dizziness, sight learning difficulties, and un coordination. Immediate action to determine source. |
Short-term exposure (e.g 8 hours
or less) |
|
| 35-50 | Symptoms can include sleepy, tired, flu-like symptoms. Recommend not to exceed 1 hour continuous exposure. |
| 50-87 | Symptoms same as above. Recommend not to exceed 30 minutes continuous exposure. |
| Greater than 87 | Symptoms same as above. Recommended not to exceed 15 minutes continuous exposure. |
| Greater than 200 | Symptoms can include sleepy, tired, flu-like symptoms plus headache and throbbing temples. Evacuate. |
| Greater than 400 | Symptoms can include severe headaches, weakness, dizziness/nausea and vomiting, collapse. Evacuate. |
| Greater than 460 | Coma/death possible. Evacuate. |
Continuous exposure to 30ppm of CO leads to equilibrium
COHb level of 5%; about 80% of this value occurs in 4 hours and the other
20% over the next 8 hours. Continuous exposure to 20ppm CO leads to COHb
levels of 3.7% and continuous exposure to 10ppm leads to COHb of 2%. The
time for equilibrium to be established is usually 8 hours, but this time
can be shorter if the person is physically active. The level of COHb is directly
related to the CO levels in the air, the length of exposure, and the activity
level of the individual. The World Health Organization recommends that the
COHb level be no higher than 2.5%-3%. Cigarette smokers will have higher
COHb levels than non-smokers. A level of 2.5% COHb can result from exposure
to air with 50ppm CO for 90 minutes or 15PPM for 10 hours.
Indoor air concentrations of CO depend on the sources and
their uses. Indoor levels of 1 part per million (ppm) to 2 ppm can result from
using a normal gas-fired furnace; levels over 100ppm have been measured in homes
with faulty furnaces. Levels of 35ppm to 120ppm have been measured after 4 burners
on a gas stove were operating for 20 minutes. Kerosene heaters can cause levels
of CO from 3ppm to over 20ppm. A 1983 study showed CO levels ranging from 1.9ppm
to 89.4ppm in a test house (1150 square feet) heated by un-vented gas heaters.
Is air monitoring available?
Air monitoring for CO is often done by utility companies
in their service area. Local Health Departments and Fire Departments may
have CO monitors and may be willing to test private homes. The State Division
of Health Regional Offices and the Bureau of Public Health will test indoor
air if other area services are not available.
What are some measures to prevent build-up of carbon monoxide?
Do standards exist for regulating carbon monoxide?
Regulations do not exist for residential homes. There are regulations for occupational settings. The National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) have determined that CO not be higher than 35ppm in occupational settings. This is based on an 8-hour work day, 5 days a week.
Is there a medical test to determine
if someone has been exposed to carbon monoxide?
CO does not stay in the blood for long periods of time.
After 4-5 hours, half of the total amount will be gone. There is a blood test
that measures the COHb levels in blood.
Carbon Monoxide-
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and non-irritating gas. It is produced
from the incomplete burning of many fuels. More...