Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide (CO):

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. CO is a common industrial hazard resulting from the incomplete burning of natural gas and any other material containing carbon such as gasoline, kerosene, oil, propane, coal, or wood.

Effects of CO on human health:

Carbon monoxide has serious health impacts on humans and animals. When inhaled, the carbon monoxide bonds to the haemoglobin in the blood in place of oxygen to become carboxy haemoglobin. This reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells and decreases the supply of oxygen to tissues and organs, especially the heart and brain.

For people with cardiovascular disease, this can be a serious problem. Carbon monoxide affects healthy and unhealthy people. Breathing CO can cause headache, dizziness, vomiting, and nausea. If CO levels are high enough, you may become unconscious or die. Exposure to moderate and high levels of CO over long periods of time has also been linked with increased risk of heart disease.

Environmental effects of CO:

Carbon monoxide reacts with other pollutants in the air to form potentially harmful ground level ozone. This occurs close to the site of emission. It does not have any significant environmental effects at a global level.

Interested Parties including Regulatory Authorities:

1. Persons affected by CO
2. Industries, Laboratories using/ Generating CO
3. Warehouses Containing Chemicals of CO
4. Motor Vehicles for personal and commercial uses
5. Private / Govt. Projects to control CO
6. Handling and transportation of chemical containing CO
7. Local Environmental Department/ Authorities
8. Local Government Authorities like Municipalities, City Corporation etc.
9. Local Law Enforcing Agencies like Police, Magistrate and Regulatory Authorities etc.

Benefit of Monitoring:

By monitoring long-term contamination trends, every country establishes baseline contamination levels, making it possible for early identification of contamination events. Daily events and long term trends are captured and taken step to reduce environmental emission/ pollution and enhance environmental performance of the society.