

| Subject: | Re: CO vs CO2 One's poisonous, the other's not. |
| From: | Blue Eyes |
| Date: | Sun, 15 Nov 1998 11:26:28 -0600 |
Discussing the effects of breathing CO and CO2, it was said: >If I recall correctly, the bond is permanent," in which CO bonds and thereby kills a hemoglobin cell. That is correct. But with respect to CO2 concentrations, >CO2 doesn't harm directly as CO does, but will displace all the >oxygen in a confined space to the point you can suffocate." I believe CO2 concentrations do not need to displace oxygen before we are unable to breathe. You can have plenty of oxygen left and still fail from CO2 concentration. To read about this mechanism, use a search engine to read about this effect which I have seen discussed in Space mission environment controls, underwater "rebreather" equipment, and survivalist literature about designing long term temporary habitats for surviving after an ecosystem upsetting event like an atomic war or a significant space rock hitting earth. They all discuss chemically removing CO2 as an absolute necessity long before lack of oxygen is a serious concern. Peace, John
Have something to add on this topic today? Revive this thread in the forum »