Carbon monoxide, whose danger to the human body is high, is a volatile substance. This compound has neither taste nor smell. Let us consider in more detail its properties and damage to health.
Education Features
Gas is formed as a result of incomplete combustion of substances of synthetic or natural origin. These include coal, peat, petroleum products, natural gas, alcohol, polymers, and combustible substances.
Poisoning mechanism
Carbon monoxide, whose harmfulness to humans is known even to schoolchildren, is formed both in free space and in ventilated production rooms. About three thousand people die every year from such poisoning. Poisoning can be of a random form (industrial accidents), an intentional option (when attempting suicide).
How does carbon monoxide enter the body? The danger to humans is the negative impact on the respiratory system. In the body, carboxyhemoglobin is formed, which disrupts the binding of oxygen. There is a large-scale oxygen starvation, the result of which is often fatal. In some cases, death occurs 10-12 days after receiving a dose of carbon monoxide.
Types and features of poisoning
There are two types: chronic and acute. There are such degrees of severity in case of poisoning.
Light form. Among the symptoms characteristic of her, we note pain and weakness in the muscles, constant headaches, accompanied by dizziness, noise and ringing in the ears, problems with the organs of vision and hearing.
The first stage is often accompanied by some intoxication and euphoria. With mild intoxication, the release of vomit, diarrhea is possible. All these symptoms spontaneously pass after 10-15 days.
What is the effect of moderate carbon monoxide poisoning? Damage to health is expressed in loss of consciousness, impaired heartbeat, decreased blood pressure, and discoloration of the skin. This poisoning is associated with memory loss, drowsiness. A person has a chance of recovery.
A severe form is associated with a loss of consciousness for a long time. Convulsions occur, weakness appears, complexion becomes crimson. Dangerous disorders are possible in the respiratory system.
A lethal (instantaneous) degree is accompanied by a coma, a complete stop of the work of the respiratory system. If a person manages to survive, pathological changes continue in his body for a long time.
Consequences of poisoning
Consider carbon monoxide: hazard class, MPC, consequences of poisoning. Among the main results of carbon monoxide in the human body:
- lesions of white and gray matter, leading to impaired brain function, loss of logical thinking, thrombosis, hemorrhage;
- problems with the retina, visual impairment;
- swelling, death of the skin and muscle tissue;
- hearing loss
- problems with the vestibular apparatus;
- renal failure;
- fetal freezing in pregnant women;
- paralysis, mental disorders;
- arrhythmia, cardiac asthma, myocardial infarction, hypertension;
- necrosis of lung tissue;
- weakening of the immune system.
Help with carbon monoxide poisoning
Note that the hazard class of carbon monoxide is 4th, so you need to know how to help a person who has suffered from this poisonous substance. The following types of assistance are possible:
- removal of the victim to fresh air (away from the source of poisoning), use of an oxygen mask;
- examination of the respiratory tract for the presence of vomit (if necessary, remove them);
- Relieving neck area from tight clothing
- laying a person on his side;
- bringing ammonia to the airways;
- if necessary, an indirect heart massage;
- use of an antidote (intramuscular injection of acyzole);
- emergency call
Important points
Carbon monoxide hazard class 4 requires certain safety measures to be taken to avoid accidents. In particular, this concerns the operation of heating boilers, the maintenance of various equipment in the chemical industry.
Carbon monoxide is a toxic substance that, when it enters the human body, causes various disorders in the functioning of systems and organs.
Poisoning with this substance can occur in different places. The 4th hazard class of carbon monoxide is a life-threat that every person should know about when in contact with this non-salt-forming oxide. The body of the victim begins to function in the mode of austerity of oxygen. The brain, heart, lungs, muscles are affected.
Blood Composition
The 4th hazard class of carbon monoxide confirms that this substance belongs to poisons. When it enters the bloodstream, the compound forms bonds with red blood cells. The resulting carboxyhemoglobin is not able to perform its basic functions, therefore hypoxia develops - oxygen starvation.
Older people, pregnant women, children, as well as people with weak immunity have the maximum sensitivity to carbon monoxide. Great and environmental harm carbon monoxide. In particular, when exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations of these compounds, a disturbance in the balance of nature occurs.
Signs of hazard identification
According to GOST, such a compound is considered a harmful substance, with direct contact with which violations occur in the human body. The main signs of determining the hazard class of such compounds are indicated in the standard GOST 12.1.007-76.
Depending on the degree of action, it is customary to subdivide all substances into 3 groups: extremely dangerous, high hazard, low hazard. Consider carbon monoxide in more detail. What hazard class is characteristic of it? What are its distinguishing features? Let us dwell on these issues in more detail. Carbon monoxide is considered a hazard class 4 hazardous substance. The following maximum permissible concentrations are established for it:
- in the air of the working area, mg / m3 - more than 10;
- when introduced into the stomach, a lethal dose, mg / kg - more than 5000;
- when applied to the skin, mg / kg - more than 2500;
- lethal concentration in air, mg / m3 - more than 5000.
Characteristics of the 4th hazard class
This class is characterized by a low degree of impact on waste OPS, violation of the ecological system. The self-recovery period is 3 years.
Among the sources of its formation: construction waste, including bulky. Carbon monoxide can also be formed during the combustion of used tires, in the production of cast iron, steel, and incomplete burning of wood waste.
Quick reference
The most dangerous are first class substances. Their maximum permissible concentration in the working area should not exceed 0.1 mg / m3. If ingested up to 15 mg / kg, fatal outcome is possible. Among the substances assigned to this class, beryllium, acrolein, pentachlorodiphenyl, benzapyrene, ethyl mercury chloride, plutonium, polonium, lead salts, hydrogen fluoride can be noted.
Particularly hazardous substances (2nd group) are those compounds whose concentration in the air is fatal in the range of 500-5000 mg / m3. Among the chemical compounds that belong to this class, we distinguish bromoform, atrazine, bromodichloromethane, boron, DDT, heptachlor, cadmium, lithium, hexachlorobenzene, arsenic, dibromochloromethane, cobalt, molybdenum, lead, silicates, selenium, antimony, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen sulfide, strontium hydrogen , formaldehyde, phenol, phosphates, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, cyanides, chlorine.
Substances of the 3rd group are considered highly hazardous in terms of exposure. After the complete removal of the source of their release into the environment, the ecosystem is restored no earlier than 30 years later. Among the substances that belong to this group: spent lead-acid batteries, lead-lead copper cable that has lost its consumer properties, residues of oil products and battery acid (sulfuric), lead sawdust.
Among the representatives of the 3rd group of OM there is acetone, spent diesel fuel, cement dust. These compounds are dangerous to humans only in high concentrations.
Depending on the chemical structure, it is customary to subdivide harmful substances into:
- organic nature (ketones, alcohols, aldehydes);
- elementary organic compounds (chlorine derivatives);
- inorganic (mercury, carbon monoxide).
Depending on the effect of harmful substances on the human body, four groups are distinguished:
- irritating substances that act on the respiratory tract, the mucous membrane of the eyes (nitrogen oxides, ammonia);
- asphyxiating compounds leading to a violation of oxygen metabolism (these include carbon monoxide);
- narcotic effects (acetone, benzyl, trichlorethylene);
- somatic substances leading to disruption of the body or its individual systems (methanol, arsenic compounds)
To summarize
Carbon monoxide, which is harmful to humans, has a general toxic effect. Its increased content in the body leads to damage to its individual parts: blood-forming organs, nervous system, kidneys, and liver. With an increased content of this compound, the movement of oxygen throughout the body is disrupted, as a result of which a person experiences oxygen starvation.
In order to avoid negative consequences, among which a fatal outcome is possible, it is necessary to follow basic safety rules. For example, the room in which the chemical process of incomplete combustion of various types of fuel is carried out must be equipped with high-quality ventilation (ventilate).
Given that with severe intoxication of a person with carbon monoxide vapor, the consequences may not immediately appear, but after a few days, medical supervision of the injured persons from this inorganic compound is necessary. According to the UN classification, gas is considered low-hazard; it is assigned to the 4th group of hazardous substances.