We often say that gas poisoning is due to suffocation or even death after a certain amount of carbon monoxide contained in gas is inhaled by the human body. Gas poisoning is more accurately called carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning may cause dizziness, nausea, headache and other discomforts in mild cases, and can damage the central nervous system, heart vessels and lung function in severe cases. What should we know about preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.
Why does gas poisoning occur?
In the process of continuous blood circulation in the human body, oxygen is constantly brought to the major organs of the body, and the important thrust that provides heat and power to the major organs is hemoglobin. The main carbon monoxide contained in the gas can also be combined with hemoglobin to form carbon monoxide hemoglobin once it enters the body, so that the hemoglobin occupied by carbon monoxide will lose the ability to transport oxygen, the body's organs will slowly enter a state of oxygen deprivation and poisoning phenomenon.
Symptoms of gas poisoning
- If the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air is low, containing only one part in ten thousand, the body will not feel unwell.
- When the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air reaches 5 parts per million, the human body will not experience any special discomfort when inhaling for one hour. But if the continuous inhalation for more than 4 hours, carbon monoxide hemoglobin in the blood reaches half of thirty, the body begins to appear a slight headache.
- When the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air reaches one thousandth of an hour, the human body will have a significant headache, nausea and other uncomfortable symptoms after an hour of inhalation. If continued inhalation up to 2 hours or more, nearly half of the hemoglobin in the blood is occupied by carbon monoxide, serious cases will be deficient, fainting situation.
- When the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air reaches 2 parts per thousand, the human body may die if it continues to inhale for more than an hour.
- When the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air reaches five parts per thousand, the human body can die from poisoning after inhaling for less than half an hour.
- When the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air is at one percent, the human body can die of poisoning if inhaled for two minutes.
Classification of carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be classified into chronic and acute poisoning.
Chronic poisoning
In general, chronic carbon monoxide poisoning may lead to dizziness, weakness, insomnia, sluggishness and other discomforts, but because not much carbon monoxide is inhaled, the body can improve its discomfort on its own by taking deep breaths outside a ventilated room.
Acute poisoning
Acute carbon monoxide poisoning can be divided into two types. The first is the stroke type, which results in fainting, unconsciousness, seizures, and dilated pupils, and most poisoned people die immediately. The second is the developmental asphyxia that leads to physical changes in stages, from initial weakness and dizziness to loss of limb mobility, shortness of breath, vomiting and finally loss of consciousness, convulsions and so on.
How to prevent gas poisoning
Maintain indoor ventilation
Gas poisoning is usually caused by the accumulation of carbon monoxide due to lack of ventilation in the room. To prevent gas poisoning, it is important to keep ventilation in places like heating stoves, fire pits and kitchens so that the carbon monoxide produced by combustion can circulate out as quickly as possible. In addition, it is not advisable to put heating stoves and fire pits indoors at night when you go to bed.
Wearing a mask
It is best to wear a mask when making a fire or adding coal to prevent carbon monoxide from being inhaled at close range to prevent poisoning.
Install a combustible gas leak alarm
Prevent gas poisoning may wish to install a combustible gas leak alarm in the home where the stove, coal stove, liquefied gas, when inadvertent gas leakage, carbon monoxide accumulation can be notified through this alarm in the first instance, in time to take other preventive measures to avoid danger.
Stay away from smoking places
When the weather is getting colder, many places are kept absolutely tight type, or a hint of cold wind comes in. If you frequent places where there are a lot of smoking people, you are also prone to carbon monoxide poisoning. We all know that the process of smoking can also produce a lot of carbon monoxide, and the carbon monoxide produced by smoking in large quantities in a closed space may cause poisoning.
Strengthen safety awareness and education
Many people have carbon monoxide poisoning or even carbon monoxide explosion is the lack of knowledge of this type of gas, prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning safety publicity and education is indispensable. You should learn more about this kind of common sense in your daily life, so that you can make timely responses in case of emergencies.
