Edouard Bastarache on fri 21 apr 00
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Hello all,
Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, colorless,odorless gas that is rapidly
absorbed
by the lungs. This gas rapidly diffuses across alveolar-capillary
membranes(lungs)
and attaches to hemoglobine to form carboxyhemoglobin(Cohgb). Tissue
oxygenation
is decreased.
This is a rather quick process.
A normal human being who is a non-smoker may have a Cohgb between =
0.7-1.5=25.
Pregnant women who do not smoke may have Cohgb levels as high as 2.6=25.
Generally speaking, when Cohgb is below 10=25, there is no symptom.
Headache may appear when Cohgb reaches 20=25.
At 30=25 there is headache, irritability, visual and judgement impairment,
sleepiness=3B
a starting intoxication may mimick a person who has been drinking.
When exposure is massive, the victim may fall to the ground and become
comatous
very rapidly.
The half-life of carboxyhemoglobin is about 4 hours with room air oxygen
concentration (21=25) at 1 atmosphere of pressure.
So, simple calculation shows that 12 hours after exposure has ceased,
the level of Cohgb is 8 times lower than the starting level, not high enough
to cause
the symptoms experienced by Mary Kings=92 friend, which appeared the day =
after
firing.
Later,
Edouard Bastarache
Dans / In =22La Belle Province=22
edouardb=40sorel-tracy.qc.ca
http://www.sorel-tracy.qc.ca/=7Eedouardb/
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