Description

Colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is toxic to humans in concentrations above about 35 ppm. Lighter than air.

• Density at 0 °C = 1,250 kg/m3
• Density at 25 °C = 1,145 kg/m3
• Lower explosive limit (LEL) = 12,5 %vol

Health exposure limits (Directive 2000/39/EC):

• 8 hours TWA = 20 ppm (23 mg/m3)
• 15 mins STEL = 100 ppm (115 mg/m3)

Carbon monoxide (CO) has anthropogenic origins in the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels or other carbon-containing organic matter. It arises in emissions from electricity production, industrial, commercial or residential combustion and also from transport with combustion engines. It can also have natural origins in volcanic eruptions and forest fires.

In urban areas, road transport is the main source of CO and as such the concentrations of this pollutant vary with traffic variations. Furthermore, this pollutant is emitted in greater quantities when engines are at high speed, that is, when stopping and starting or at low speeds.

CO can cause headache, dizziness and malaise even nausea and vomiting, it can even reduce the ability to learn, work and manual dexterity. The harmful effects on human health are due to its ability to irreversibly combine with blood hemoglobin which, instead of binding to oxygen in the lungs to transport it to tissues and carbon dioxide to transport it from tissues to lung tissues, this function is compromised by the occupation of the hemoglobin position by CO, which creates a very stable composition. With long exposure times it can even cause death.

CO contributes to the formation of tropospheric ozone and its oxidation by oxygen in the air contributes to the greenhouse effect.