Carbon monoxide: Health effects
Description
Levels normally present in the atmosphere are unlikely to cause ill effects.
Inhalation of low levels of carbon monoxide (200 parts per million for 2-3 hours) can cause headache, dizziness, light-headedness and fatigue. Exposure to higher concentrations (400 parts per million) of carbon monoxide can cause sleepiness, hallucinations, convulsions, collapse, loss of consciousness and death. It can also cause personality and memory changes, mental confusion and loss of vision.
Extremely high exposures to carbon monoxide can cause the formation of carboxyhaemoglobin and decrease the body’s ability to carry oxygen. This can cause a bright red colour to the skin and mucous membranes causing trouble breathing, collapse, convulsions, coma and death.
Long term (chronic) health effects can occur from exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide. These effects may produce heart disease and damage to the nervous system. Exposure of pregnant women to carbon monoxide may result in low birth weights and other defects in the offspring.
Entering the body
Carbon monoxide can enter the body by inhaling contaminated air. When in the body, carbon monoxide is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream from the lungs.
Exposure
Most exposure occurs in the home. People can be exposed to carbon monoxide by smoking, using malfunctioning equipment (gas water heaters, fuel fired heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves, gas stoves, gas dryers), charcoal grills and using poorly vented automobiles. Workers in the industries that use or produce carbon monoxide are also at risk of exposure.
Health guidelines
Workplace exposure:
Currently, the eight-hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure limit is 34 milligrams carbon monoxide per cubic metre of air. There is no short term exposure limit (STEL) for carbon monoxide.
Australian drinking water guidelines:
No drinking water guidelines have been established for carbon monoxide.
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