How to test carbon monoxide indoors. Carbon monoxide detector for home: details about leak detection devices

home

Information Security

“Anyone can get sick, I almost got poisoned on a call”

We spoke with an experienced anesthesiologist-resuscitator who dealt with a similar case. Trying to save the already unconscious child, he himself almost died from carbon monoxide.

This was in 2012, recalls the emergency doctor medical care from Bobruisk Konstantin Tolstonogov. - The parents found their daughter unconscious in the bathroom. When we arrived, she was lying on the sofa - her pupils were wide, there was no breathing or heartbeat. There is no smell in the apartment, the family is happy, it doesn’t look like suicide. But the suspicion that something was wrong arose immediately. The girl’s body was not pale, not bluish, but pink, this happens with poisoning carbon monoxide. The apartment had a gas water heater - branded, in working order, automatic. According to the girl’s parents, there were never any problems with her, and we somehow excluded this threat. 28th minute of resuscitation. There is no result. And then we all swam. Weakness, drowsiness, shortness of breath, throbbing in the head... It dawned on us - it’s carbon monoxide. Everyone get out of the apartment. Personally, I was no longer able to run, I lay down right on the landing...

At our request, a resuscitation doctor answered our questions about the deadly gas.

The product is not complete combustion any fuel that contains carbon - gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, natural gas, coal, firewood... It can form absolutely everywhere. When organic matter burns completely, carbon dioxide (CO2) and water are formed. But if there is not enough oxygen during the combustion process, under-oxidized carbon monoxide is formed - carbon monoxide (CO).

Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?

Where is the risk of carbon monoxide the greatest?

In apartments with gas water heaters, gas stoves, garages and basements, especially if any work was carried out there renovation work. In bathhouses and private houses with stove heating, where the damper is often closed without waiting for the firewood to burn completely.

How to recognize carbon monoxide?

It has neither color nor smell. If you feel weakness, drowsiness, rapid heartbeat, or your consciousness is swimming, this is a signal. Immediately leave the room for air. Carbon monoxide quickly and tightly binds to hemoglobin, and it can no longer carry oxygen. Oxygen starvation sets in. The central nervous system and cardiovascular system immediately suffer from it.

What to do to avoid getting burned?

Ensure that equipment and ventilation are in good working order before each use. gas equipment check the draft, open the windows as often as possible, and turn on the stove very carefully.

AND AT THIS TIME

“If you use gas equipment correctly, nothing will happen”

- There are more than 100 thousand Belarusians in apartments geysers. If they are potentially dangerous, why not remove them?

If houses have gas water heaters, most likely the house was built in the 60-80s of the last century, and, therefore, at that time it was impossible to organize a centralized supply there hot water, - Sergei Borodavko, deputy chief engineer of the MINSKOBLGAZ Unitary Enterprise, commented to Komsomolskaya Pravda. - To dismantle geysers, you need to run water supply pipes to the house. It is expensive and technically difficult. Such a task is not worth it now. But, believe me, if the column is in working order and it is used correctly, it does not pose any threat.

- How can you determine for yourself whether there is traction or not?

Each gas water heater has special windows or slots, to which you need to hold a lit match or candle to check the presence of draft in the chimney. If the flame deviates inward, everything is fine, there is draft. If not, it's a mess. To check the ventilation duct, you can hold a piece of paper to it. If it sticks to the ventilation grille, the ventilation is working.

- Do gas workers have instruments that can measure the concentration of carbon monoxide?

Gas workers determine only the concentration of liquefied and natural gas. The Ministry of Emergency Situations or other organizations that check the serviceability of chimneys and ventilation ducts.

One of possible reasons, according to which carbon monoxide has accumulated in a house in Borisov - a clogged chimney. Are there chimneys in every house or only in those where gas equipment is installed?

Chimneys are found everywhere where it is necessary to ensure the removal of combustion products, including in houses with gas water heaters and boilers. In most cases, these are private houses, as well as multi-storey buildings. residential buildings with apartment heating.

- Who is responsible for the timely inspection and serviceability of chimneys?

According to the Rules for the Use of Gas at Home, the obligation to check the condition of smoke and ventilation ducts is assigned to organizations operating the housing stock or providing housing and communal services, as well as to gas consumers. At their requests, specialized organizations that have the appropriate permits carry out inspections of the operability of chimneys and ventilation ducts. The gas supply organization does not inspect smoke and ventilation ducts. But she is the one who carries out the maintenance of geysers.

BY THE WAY

A gas detector will help you detect materials released during smoldering and combustion, including carbon monoxide: it will beep in time and report a danger. Price – about 200 thousand rubles.

Carbon monoxide (CO) or carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is lighter than air. The so-called “carbon monoxide smell” is caused by organic impurities in the fuel. Carbon monoxide is produced every time wood fuel is burned. The main reason for the formation of carbon monoxide: lack of oxygen in the combustion zone. "Burning" and "fuming" are common names for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide formation in the furnace
Carbon monoxide is formed when carbon burns in a lack of oxygen. Fuel combustion in furnaces occurs in several stages: carbon burns with the release of carbon dioxide CO 2 (incomplete combustion flue gases); then carbon dioxide interacts with hot coke residues of fuel or coal, forming carbon monoxide; carbon monoxide burns (blue flames) to form carbon dioxide, which is removed through the chimney.

If there is no draft in the stove (the chimney is clogged, the damper is closed prematurely, there is no supply air for combustion), coals continue to smolder in conditions of insufficient oxygen supply, carbon monoxide does not burn and can spread throughout the heated room, causing a toxic effect on the human body and poisoning (fumes).

Carbon monoxide CO and carbon dioxide CO 2
The processes of formation of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and vice versa, during the combustion of fuel in a furnace, occur continuously. When the fuel is almost burned out, the combustion of carbon monoxide with a blue flame and the formation of carbon dioxide ( component flue gases). Under normal combustion conditions, all carbon monoxide burns in the firebox of the stove with virtually no residue.

Carbon dioxide CO 2 is a colorless gas with a faint sour odor. Carbon dioxide, being heavier than air, accumulates in depressions (basements, wells, adits, catacombs, caves). When a room becomes smoky with reverse draft in the chimney, there is just a lot of carbon dioxide.

Carbon monoxide CO is a product of incomplete combustion and a strong poison. Carbon dioxide poisoning has less toxic effects.

Causes of carbon monoxide poisoning
The lack of color and odor of poisonous carbon monoxide makes carbon monoxide especially dangerous. The cause of carbon monoxide poisoning is:

Violation of the rules for operating stove heating (untimely closing of the stove damper, insufficient access of fresh air to the firebox, poor draft).
Malfunctioning stove and chimney (cracks in the stove structure, clogged chimney).
Finding a person at the source of a fire.
Car maintenance in a garage or area with poor ventilation.
Sleeping in a car with the engine running.
Use of poor quality air in scuba gear and breathing apparatus
Using a charcoal grill in a barbecue gazebo with poor ventilation.

Symptoms and signs of carbon monoxide poisoning
The symptoms of poisoning are very difficult to recognize at first, so you may not realize that carbon monoxide is the cause of your illness. The manifestation of the same symptoms in all people in the same room makes it possible to recognize the moment of carbon monoxide poisoning.

With a small concentration of carbon monoxide, the first signs of toxicity and poisoning may appear: lacrimation, headache and dizziness, weakness and nausea, dry cough, confusion, possible visual and auditory hallucinations. If you feel the symptoms of poisoning, leave the room as quickly as possible, going out into the fresh air. In an open space, the risk of poisoning is minimal.

If you spend a long time in a room with a small concentration of carbon monoxide, symptoms of poisoning are observed: respiratory failure, tachycardia, loss of coordination of movements, visual hallucinations, drowsiness, blue discoloration of the mucous membranes and facial skin, vomiting, possible convulsions, loss of consciousness.

With an increased concentration of carbon monoxide in the air of the room, loss of consciousness occurs and coma with convulsions. Without providing first aid to a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning, death may occur.

Effect of carbon monoxide on the body
Carbon monoxide enters through the lungs, binds to hemoglobin in the victim’s blood and blocks the transfer of oxygen to tissues and organs. Oxygen starvation disrupts the functioning of the nervous system and brain. The higher the concentration of carbon monoxide and more time being indoors, the stronger the poisoning and the higher the likelihood of death.

After poisoning, medical observation is necessary for several days, as complications are often observed. Patients with severe poisoning are subject to hospitalization. Problems with the lungs and nervous system are possible even several weeks after carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s interesting but true: carbon monoxide affects women less than men.

First aid for poisoning
We must remember that when removing a victim from a room with a dangerous concentration of carbon monoxide, first of all it is necessary to protect yourself, in order to avoid poisoning as well. The main “antidote” for carbon monoxide poisoning is oxygen. First aid for carbon monoxide poisoning:

Remove the victim to fresh air.
Eliminate the flow of carbon monoxide. Ventilate the room (open windows and doors) and leave the room.
If the victim is conscious, provide continuous access to fresh air and short-term inhalation ammonia, rub the body. Call " ambulance".
If the victim is unconscious, it is necessary to immediately begin artificial respiration until he regains consciousness or until the ambulance arrives.
Notify the emergency physician if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.

If a carbon monoxide victim regains consciousness, but long time was unconscious, he must be urgently transported to a medical facility and treated. Carbon monoxide poisoning is determined by a blood test.

Carbon monoxide detector or alarm
It is easier to avoid poisoning or inhalation by using an autonomous alarm or carbon monoxide detector in your home. If the concentration of carbon monoxide in a residential building or technical room will exceed permissible level, the sensor signals, warning of danger. Carbon monoxide detection alarms are electrochemical sensors designed to continuously monitor the level of CO content in indoor air and respond with sound and light signals to increased level carbon monoxide concentrations.

When choosing an alarm sensor, you should pay attention to the features of the devices (if they are similar in appearance): smoke alarms and open fire sensors, carbon monoxide CO sensors and carbon dioxide CO 2 sensors react to different components in the room air. Carbon monoxide sensors are mounted at a height of 1.5 meters from the floor (some manufacturing companies recommend 15-20 cm from the ceiling), a smoke sensor should hang on the ceiling, a CO 2 carbon dioxide detection device is recommended for installation at floor level or at instrument panel level ( carbon dioxide is heavier than air).

In many countries, the use of the above sensors is regulated by law to ensure public health and safety. In Europe, only a smoke detector is required. The installation of a carbon monoxide detector in homes with stove heating or a fireplace is currently voluntary. Carbon monoxide detectors are relatively inexpensive, although it is incorrect to measure the price of human life in money.

Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning
By following safety rules, you can avoid carbon monoxide poisoning:

Do not use fuel burning devices without sufficient knowledge, skills and tools.
Make sure the stove, chimney, supply and exhaust ventilation are working properly.
Don't burn charcoal in a room with poor ventilation.
On the smoke channels of stoves operating on wood, it is necessary to install two tight valves in series, and on the channels of stoves burning coal or peat - one valve with a hole in it with a diameter of 15 mm. (clause 3.72 of SNiP 2.04.05-91*)
Do not leave your car in the garage with the engine running.

Alarms that indicate increased carbon monoxide concentrations indoors can provide additional protection against poisoning, but should not replace other preventative measures.

Carbon monoxide during stove heating operation
A stove or fireplace with a closed damper and unburned fuel is a source of carbon monoxide and an invisible poisoner. Believing that the fuel has completely burned out, the stove owners close the chimney damper to conserve heat. Smoldering coals with a lack of air form carbon monoxide, which penetrates into the room through leaky areas of the stove structure.

With weak draft in the chimney and without air supply, chemical under-combustion of the fuel occurs, and as a result, the formation and accumulation of carbon monoxide. The air flow should be sufficient to both maintain the combustion process and provide optimal draft in the design of the stove or fireplace. Sealed rooms and lack of supply air are problems natural ventilation and the reasons for poor draft in the fireplace.

For good combustion of fuel, the stove firebox should be supplied with required amount supply air, especially when burning coal. If there are several unburned firebrands left in the firebox of a fireplace or stove, it is better to extinguish them or allow time to burn out completely. When the coals darken and there are no flames above them, after about ten minutes the valve can be closed. You should stop using the fireplace or heating the stove 2 hours before bedtime.

If a stove or fireplace is properly operated and maintained, the amount of carbon monoxide produced during fuel combustion is usually not dangerous. Caution is the key to preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

Six people died in a high-rise building in Borisov. At first, the media talked about the smell of gas that the residents felt, then a version about carbon monoxide appeared. We are trying to figure it out with the help of specialists.

Residents of the Khrushchev-era apartment building in Borisov contacted the gas service in the morning, but no leaks were detected. According to them, butane was found in the air, but no malfunctions were recorded.

The son of a deceased elderly couple discovered the bodies of his parents in the apartment, and then doctors, police, and the gas service arrived. By evening, we noticed that in one of the apartments where another family lived, the dog was not barking. It turned out that they also died.

There is no information yet what actually caused it.

WHAT GAS is dangerous: household gas or carbon monoxide?

It is important to understand: very dangerous and domestic gas, and carbon monoxide. Leak you will feel the everyday, it has a strong specific smell. It is for the smell that an admixture is added to it - an odorant.

And here carbon monoxide has neither odor nor color, a person practically cannot feel it. But there are special sensors that are freely sold in stores and are similar to fire detectors. True, they are installed in apartments quite rarely, mainly in private sector houses with stove heating or a gas boiler. The sensor can operate autonomously for almost a year on a single battery. But batteries need to be replaced regularly.

Domestic gas accumulated in a room can cause an explosion at the slightest spark. Carbon monoxide is dangerous when inhaled: a person loses consciousness and dies from oxygen deficiency.

WHERE CAN CARBON MONOXIDE COME FROM IN AN APARTMENT?

The most common cause is the release of carbon monoxide during a fire. Moreover, it turns out that other substances that are released during combustion can be much more dangerous.

- There is so much in the smoke chemical substances“that carbon monoxide is becoming a secondary danger,” explains the press secretary of the Moscow State University Ministry of Emergency Situations Vitaly Dembovsky. – Many substances are often released, including cyanide. For example, hydrocyanic acid, which is released when foam rubber burns, can be absorbed directly through the skin and provokes toxic poisoning, including death.

The fire may not be in your apartment, but carbon monoxide may be coming through the ventilation.

But even if there is no fire, carbon monoxide can accumulate indoors. Often such problems occur in private houses where the heating is stove or gas boiler. If you close the damper on the stove too early, carbon monoxide will accumulate in the room.

IN apartment buildings it can appear not only during a fire. For example, if someone decides to turn on the burners on the stove for a long time to heat up, and the ventilation in the kitchen does not work. Or if the apartment has a gas water heater and the chimney is clogged.

“If the ventilation in the room is poor and, for example, the stove is turned on, then sooner or later the concentration of carbon monoxide will become critical,” explains Vitaly Dembovsky. – Cooking food gas stove is a safe process. But no one cooks for hours. And some deliberately close windows and block ventilation to keep the apartment warm. But ventilation is specially designed so that air circulates correctly.

WHAT IS CARBON MONOXIDE DANGEROUS?

It blocks hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is responsible for the delivery of oxygen to tissues and organs, primarily to the brain.

“Inhaling carbon monoxide is equivalent to cutting your wrists,” says Vitaly Dembovsky. – The gas enters the blood and goes through a full cycle throughout our body. But when you exhale, it doesn’t go anywhere, it remains. A person begins to suffer from oxygen starvation. And the central nervous system, our brain, is the first to react to this: neural connections are disrupted, and the brain begins to weakly give commands to the body.

HOW TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE ROOM?

Since it is formed by combustion, one sign may be a smoke smell, even a faint one.

Another signal is feeling unwell: sudden nausea, dizziness or loss of coordination. Of course, such symptoms can also cause other ailments, but it is necessary to remember about carbon monoxide and compare it, for example, with a long-running stove, problems with ventilation or a chimney.

But, as Vitaly Dembovsky explained to us, most often carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when people are sleeping. They cannot feel the lack of coordination and do not wake up from weak sensations. So try to check everything before going to bed.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK THAT THERE IS CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE ROOM?

Immediately leave the room and go out into the fresh air. If you can't leave the room, open the windows. Call the firefighters - the brigade will not ignore your call and will arrive. If there really is carbon monoxide in the room, they will help you.

HOW TO HELP WITH A COMBINATION?

The first step is to take the person out of the room and into fresh air. If there is nausea or vomiting, it is necessary to carry it out in a supine position, even if the person can move on his own. Call an ambulance immediately if you have not done so before.

If a person is not breathing and a pulse cannot be felt, artificial respiration and external cardiac massage should be started. This can only be done through a handkerchief or gauze so as not to poison yourself.

The person needs to be freed from clothing that restricts breathing: remove the scarf, unfasten the collar and belt. Make the victim comfortable and keep him calm. If possible, you can apply a cold compress to your forehead and chest.

When a person is conscious but feels unwell, you can give him coffee or strong tea. If you have it on hand, smell ammonia on a cotton swab.

WHAT ABOUT DOMESTIC GAS?

If you smell the smell, immediately call 104 - this is single number for all of Belarus. If there is a strong smell of gas, do not use any electrical appliances under any circumstances: do not insert or remove electrical appliances from sockets, do not flip the light switch, leave everything as it is. Open the window, turn off all gas appliances and wait for emergency services to arrive.

“In case of reports of a gas smell, the emergency service responds immediately within 5 minutes,” says the head of the service for the operation of in-house gas consumption facilities at the MINGAZ Unitary Enterprise. Oksana Yakhimchik. -And if any of gas appliances faulty - the burner on the stove does not light or the gas water heater does not work - you can contact the production site. Sometimes it happens that users simply do not know how to use gas appliances; This is usually a story about pensioners: they simply forget how to use the device correctly. In addition, when turning on gas appliances, it is necessary to open the window or transom for ventilation. And when you turn on the gas boiler or water heater, check the draft in the chimney.

HOW ELSE TO DETERMINE A DOMESTIC GAS LEAK?

Anyone can install a gas alarm if they wish. By the way, in houses and apartments with gas boilers they are required.

The alarms are autonomous and are freely sold in gas equipment stores. They need to be installed at least 30 cm from the ceiling: household gas is lighter than air and rises upward. Installation does not require any special knowledge. It works much like an autonomous fire detector. There are battery-powered alarms, and some are powered from a regular outlet. However, if you choose the battery-powered option, you will have to remember to replace them from time to time.

– There are also “ folk method“determination of leaks,” says Oksana Yakhimchik, “You can check pipes and connections using a soap emulsion: take water, soap, make a thick foam and wash all connections. But the leak could be somewhere in the pipe, and it’s unlikely that anyone will wash the pipes throughout the house. The main thing is not to check by lighting a match - this is a bad idea. Last year there were three such cases when a gas stove was connected to a cylinder and checked by striking a match.

If you have any suspicions, it is best to call specialists. They have devices that, if there is a leak, supply sound signals and show the concentration in the air. Soap too good remedy, you just need to know how to check, understand how the bubbles should be inflated. But in general, the characteristic smell of gas is enough - it is very easy to smell.

Carbon monoxide. How to recognize danger?

The tragic incident in Borisov, where carbon monoxide poisoning caused the death of six people, forced us to think about safe operation household appliances even the most frivolous citizens. Most of us are skeptical about visits from relevant specialists, considering such control to be a “for show” event. In the age of the technical process, it’s somehow hard to believe that human life can depend on the simplest and most everyday things. It turned out that maybe not only my own life, but also the life of my neighbor.

The investigation still has to answer a number of questions, but experts are already confident today that it was the incorrect operation of chimneys and ventilation that led to the terrible ending in Borisov. It is not for nothing that an echo of this disaster has become widespread unscheduled inspections of the housing stock in all cities of Belarus. And the results of this forced monitoring were not at all reassuring. For example, in the Oktyabrsky district of Grodno alone, specialists from the private enterprise "Grodno Regional Fire Prevention Works" issued 49 orders to homeowners. There are known cases when in small regional centers, such as Oshmyany, the operation of household gas appliances in several dozen apartments was suspended. Is the concern of specialists justified, or is the principled position explained by the high public response to the emergency?

To understand the danger of a careless attitude towards the operation of gas equipment, it is enough to recall a short course in chemistry. Carbon monoxide (CO) is one of the most toxic combustion products that make up smoke. Once in the circulatory system, it binds to hemoglobin, which, as is known, “transports” oxygen throughout the body, ensuring the respiration process. A new compound, carboxyhemoglobin, blocks the transfer of oxygen, resulting in suffocation. The main danger of carbon monoxide is that it is odorless and colorless, and even a small concentration is enough to cause irreversible consequences. After just a few breaths, the first symptoms of poisoning appear: headache, suffocation, pounding in the temples, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, visual and auditory hallucinations. When the concentration of CO in the inhaled air is only 1%, convulsions and motor paralysis occur after several breaths. The person loses consciousness and dies within 2–3 minutes.

The most unpleasant thing is that carboxyhemoglobin is a very stable compound. Carbon monoxide, once in the body, practically paralyzes the entire respiratory system. And it is quite difficult to provide first aid to the victim. Take him out into the fresh air, free him from clothing that is restricting his breathing, give him a sniff of ammonia, give him strong tea or coffee, and, if necessary, perform artificial respiration - this is, perhaps, the whole set of first rescue actions. Basically, we can only rely on the quick arrival of doctors and their professional actions. Effective treatment only possible in a hospital setting. And even then only if the concentration of carbon monoxide is not yet strong enough.

So the only one effective method avoid tragedy - compliance with all requirements for the safe operation of gas boilers and instantaneous water heaters. And here even the most seemingly insignificant claims of specialists are fully justified.

According to paragraph 43 of the Rules for the Use of Gas at Home, smoke and ventilation ducts must be checked when putting equipment into operation, and then before each heating season. But smoke ducts from geysers, if they are made of brick, are checked and cleaned at least once every three months.

The effective operation of ventilation must be verified after each repair. By the way, most of the violations identified during the latest inspections relate specifically to changes to one degree or another in chimney structures. Experts suggest that in Borisov, too, the consequences of recent house renovations played a significant role, as a result of which the efficiency of the ventilation system deteriorated. Moreover, deflectors (umbrellas) were equipped at the end of the chimneys, which is categorically unacceptable. All this together could well lead to a “overturning” of the thrust, when the combustion products do not flow outward, but, on the contrary, inward. In this case, it is possible that automation emergency shutdown did not work, and people could not even realize the mortal danger.

By the way, apartment owners sometimes block the automation themselves if the boiler often turns off “by itself.” Not wanting to understand the reasons for such vagaries of sensitive equipment, people follow the path of least resistance and, in fact, sign their own death sentence.

Now it is fashionable to change the design of apartments. But it’s one thing to re-paste wallpaper or update furniture, and another thing to affect security systems designed to meet all requirements. Thus, changing the cross-sectional shape of the ventilation duct from round to square leads to a decrease in the air exchange area and, as a consequence, to deterioration aerodynamic properties. In addition, when construction work Pieces of plaster, bricks, and blocks may get into the ventilation. The law of physics is simple: the cross-sectional area of the chimney channel should not be less area cross-section of the boiler chimney pipe, but not more than 1.3 times.

Not only foreign objects can worsen traction, but also soot deposits, icing during temperature changes, etc. Therefore, experts advise treating ventilation checks like brushing your teeth - doing it regularly before each time you turn the device on and off.

Sometimes the carelessness of apartment owners reaches such an extent that it is visible to the naked eye on the ventilation grille: it is completely clogged with dust settling on sticky layer fat deposits. What kind of air exchange can we talk about in this case?

IN living conditions The easiest way to check the draft is by placing a piece of paper against the ventilation grille. It should stick tightly to it under the force of the escaping air. If this does not happen, you need to sound the alarm. Under no circumstances should a lit match be used as an indicator, as flammable gases may accumulate in the hole and such a test may result in an explosion.

If you have the slightest doubt, you should contact the housing and communal services control room. According to Belarusian legislation, the responsibility for maintaining buildings, including ventilation ducts, is utility service. Although, as a rule, enterprises serving the housing stock enter into contracts with specialized organizations that have specially trained employees armed with appropriate equipment. It’s probably better to trust the professionals rather than try to fix the problem yourself. Moreover, this danger has neither color nor smell.

“SB Belarus Today” shed light on one of the issues of concern to the population: “If the house is a common shared property,

What does carbon monoxide smell like?

Carbon monoxide and stove heating

Carbon monoxide (CO) or carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is lighter than air. The so-called “carbon monoxide smell” is caused by organic impurities in the fuel. Carbon monoxide is produced every time wood fuel is burned. The main reason for the formation of carbon monoxide: lack of oxygen in the combustion zone. “Burning” and “fuming” are common names for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide formation in the furnace
Carbon monoxide is formed when carbon burns in a lack of oxygen. Fuel combustion in furnaces occurs in several stages: carbon burns with the release of carbon dioxide CO 2 (incomplete combustion of flue gases); then carbon dioxide reacts with hot coke residues of fuel or coal, forming carbon monoxide; carbon monoxide burns (blue flames) to form carbon dioxide, which is removed through the chimney.

In the absence of draft in the stove (the chimney is clogged, the damper is closed prematurely, there is no supply air for combustion), the coals continue to smolder in conditions of insufficient oxygen supply, carbon monoxide does not burn and can spread throughout the heated room, causing a toxic effect on the human body and poisoning (carbon monoxide ).

Carbon monoxide CO and carbon dioxide CO 2
The processes of formation of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and vice versa, during the combustion of fuel in a furnace, occur continuously. When the fuel is almost burned out, the combustion of carbon monoxide with a blue flame and the formation of carbon dioxide (a component of flue gases) are clearly visible. Under normal combustion conditions, all carbon monoxide burns in the firebox of the stove with virtually no residue.

Carbon monoxide CO is a product of incomplete combustion and a strong poison. Carbon dioxide poisoning has less toxic effects.

Causes of carbon monoxide poisoning
The lack of color and odor of poisonous carbon monoxide makes carbon monoxide especially dangerous. The cause of carbon monoxide poisoning is:

Violation of the rules for operating stove heating (untimely closing of the stove damper, insufficient access of fresh air to the firebox, poor draft).
Malfunctioning stove and chimney (cracks in the stove structure, clogged chimney).
Finding a person at the source of a fire.
Car maintenance in a garage or area with poor ventilation.
Sleeping in a car with the engine running.
Use of poor quality air in scuba gear and breathing apparatus
Using a charcoal grill in a barbecue gazebo with poor ventilation.

With an increased concentration of carbon monoxide in the indoor air, loss of consciousness and coma with convulsions occur. Without providing first aid to a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning, death may occur.

Effect of carbon monoxide on the body
Carbon monoxide enters through the lungs, binds to hemoglobin in the victim’s blood and blocks the transfer of oxygen to tissues and organs. Oxygen starvation disrupts the functioning of the nervous system and brain. The higher the concentration of carbon monoxide and the longer the time spent in the room, the stronger the poisoning and the higher the likelihood of death.

Remove the victim to fresh air.
Eliminate the flow of carbon monoxide. Ventilate the room (open windows and doors) and leave the room.
If the victim is conscious, provide continuous access to fresh air and short-term inhalation of ammonia, and rub the body. Call an ambulance.
If the victim is unconscious, it is necessary to immediately begin artificial respiration until he regains consciousness or until the ambulance arrives.
Notify the emergency physician if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.

If a victim of carbon monoxide has come to his senses, but has been unconscious for a long time, then he must be urgently transported to a medical facility and treated. Carbon monoxide poisoning is determined by a blood test.

Carbon monoxide detector or alarm
It is easier to avoid poisoning or inhalation by using an autonomous alarm or carbon monoxide detector in your home. If the concentration of carbon monoxide in a residential building or technical room exceeds the permissible level, the sensor signals, warning of danger. Carbon monoxide detection alarms are electrochemical sensors designed to continuously monitor the level of CO content in indoor air and respond with sound and light signals to an increased level of carbon monoxide concentration.

In many countries, the use of the above sensors is regulated by law to ensure public health and safety. In Europe, only a smoke detector is mandatory. The installation of a carbon monoxide detector in homes with stove heating or a fireplace is currently voluntary. Carbon monoxide detectors are relatively inexpensive, although it is incorrect to measure the price of human life in money.

Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning
By following safety rules, you can avoid carbon monoxide poisoning:

Do not use fuel burning devices without sufficient knowledge, skills and tools.
Make sure the stove, chimney, supply and exhaust ventilation are working properly.
Do not burn charcoal in areas with poor ventilation.
On the smoke channels of stoves operating on wood, it is necessary to install two tight valves in series, and on the channels of stoves burning coal or peat - one valve with a hole in it with a diameter of 15 mm. (clause 3.72 of SNiP 2.04.05-91*)
Do not leave your car in the garage with the engine running.

Alarms that indicate increased carbon monoxide concentrations indoors can provide additional protection against poisoning, but should not replace other preventative measures.

With weak draft in the chimney and without air supply, chemical under-combustion of the fuel occurs, and as a result, the formation and accumulation of carbon monoxide. The air flow should be sufficient to both maintain the combustion process and provide optimal draft in the design of the stove or fireplace. Sealed rooms and lack of supply air are problems with natural ventilation and the causes of poor draft in the fireplace.

For good combustion of fuel, the required amount of fresh air should be supplied to the stove firebox, especially when burning coal. If there are several unburned firebrands left in the firebox of a fireplace or stove, it is better to extinguish them or allow time to burn out completely. When the coals darken and there are no flames above them, after about ten minutes the valve can be closed. You should stop using the fireplace or heating the stove 2 hours before bedtime.

If a stove or fireplace is properly operated and maintained, the amount of carbon monoxide produced during fuel combustion is usually not dangerous. Caution is key to preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

What does carbon monoxide smell like?

What does carbon monoxide smell like Carbon monoxide and furnace heating Carbon monoxide (CO) or carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is lighter than air. The so-called “carbon monoxide smell” is caused by

The insidious properties of carbon monoxide have been known since ancient times. Our ancestors knew that it was very dangerous to close the draft in an unburned stove while maintaining heat. IN closed house warm, cozy, a person lies down to rest - and does not wake up, he burns out.

The culprit of misfortune wears different names- carbon monoxide (II), carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide, CO.

WHERE IS CARBON MONOXIDE FORMED?

When the draft is closed, it is formed during the oxidation of smoldering coals in conditions of lack of oxygen, and enters the room. People do not notice the invasion - after all, the invader has neither smell nor color. And it acts, first of all, on the central nervous system, and the distraught person is not able to appreciate that something wrong is happening to him.

It would seem that nowadays few people use stoves, and the likelihood of encountering carbon monoxide is low. But it turns out that this substance is released both as a result of human activity and in many natural processes.

Carbon monoxide is formed in almost all types of combustion - when burning fuel at power and heating plants, when burning a fire and a gas stove, in a car exhaust, when smoking. Sources of CO are metallurgy, chemical industry. Carbon monoxide is used as a starting material for the synthesis of acetone, methyl alcohol, urea, etc.

As a result of volcanic activity and the oxidation of methane, carbon monoxide also enters the atmosphere. But the amount of natural carbon monoxide, according to some estimates, is only about 3% of the gas from anthropogenic sources, 90% produced by burning fossil fuels.

One of the sources of carbon monoxide is the person himself.

The fact is that carbon monoxide is a product of normal metabolism - in small concentrations it is necessary for the body and performs in it important functions .

A person exhales up to 10 ml of CO per day. This is important to keep in mind for developers of air purification systems for long-term stays in enclosed spaces - spaceships, caissons, etc.
Thus, the ubiquitous carbon monoxide can be called everyday poison. Its maximum permissible concentration in the air of industrial premises is 20 mg/m3 or 0.02 mg/l. The natural level of CO in the air is 0.01 - 0.9 mg/m3, and on Russian highways the average CO concentration ranges from 6-57 mg/m3, exceeding the poisoning threshold.

The main "supplier" of carbon monoxide in major cities is motor transport. When burning 1000 liters of fuel, vehicles emit 25 to 200 kg of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. For example, 72-75% of all carbon monoxide enters the atmosphere of Moscow through the fault of cars.

Unfortunately, cases of poisoning in closed garages are not uncommon.

Under no circumstances should you start and warm up the engine in a closed, unventilated room!

WHERE DOES CARBON MONOXIDE ACCUMULATE?

Carbon monoxide can accumulate in dangerous concentrations not only in the garage. In 1982, hundreds of Afghan and Soviet soldiers died at the Salang Pass due to an accident in a mountain tunnel more than four kilometers long. Due to the snowfall, many cars were piled up on both sides. Two cars collided in the center of the tunnel, causing a traffic jam. The drivers did not turn off the engines, the concentration of carbon monoxide increased, people lost consciousness and died.

The slower a car moves on the streets, the longer it sits with the engine running, or crawls at a snail's pace in a traffic jam, the more carbon monoxide it emits. And carbon monoxide is one of the main air pollutants in large cities. Therefore, the cleanliness of air in large cities is largely related to how traffic is organized. And, of course, the awareness of drivers is important

If you have to stand at a traffic light or crossing for several minutes, turn off the engine.

You will save gasoline and the air will be cleaner. And you don’t need to warm up the engine by pointing the exhaust pipe at your neighbor’s window. Moreover, the engines of most modern cars do not need to be warmed up at all.

Carbon monoxide accumulates in poorly ventilated yards and near highways. Therefore, the concentration of carbon monoxide in the blood of residents of large cities is higher than that of residents of rural areas. If possible, avoid walking along busy highways, especially with children. Choose a quiet nearby street, or better yet a park. This is especially important if you are engaged in vigorous activity that requires increased energy expenditure and, therefore, more intense breathing - cycling, rollerblading, jogging or skiing.

Similar physical exercise next to the highway will only cause harm.

However, for some, this carbon monoxide lurking around us everywhere is not enough - and they “catch up” with the help of tobacco smoke. A smoker inhales 18.4 mg of CO when smoking one cigarette. If so much carbon monoxide entered the body at one time, he could die. Fortunately, some of the CO leaves the body through exhalation. The concentration of carbon monoxide in the blood of a smoker in 40 times exceeds the norm!

Passive smoking is also slightly less dangerous. In an hour in a smoky room, a person inhales about 9 mg of CO2 - this is what he would get if he smoked half a cigarette himself. This is especially important to remember for parents who smoke in the presence of their children.

IMPACT ON THE BODY
How does carbon monoxide affect the body? Getting into the lungs and from there into the blood plasma, CO penetrates into red blood cells and there interacts with the protein hemoglobin - the carrier of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. Each hemoglobin molecule contains four heme - porphyrin rings, in the center of which there is an iron atom that can reversibly attach an oxygen molecule, forming the so-called oxyhemoglobin. Thanks to hemoglobin, blood can bring approximately 70 times more oxygen to tissues than salt water would carry through dissolution alone.

It is the iron atom that carbon monoxide targets, forming a complex compound (carboxyhemoglobin) that is unable to carry oxygen.

In competition for hemoglobin, carbon monoxide has a distinct advantage over oxygen - it reacts faster with hemoglobin and forms a stronger compound than oxyhemoglobin. In addition, the dissociation of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood occurs very slowly, and it gradually accumulates. Therefore, the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood can increase to a dangerous degree when inhaling for a long time air containing carbon monoxide in very small concentrations - as little as 0.07%. The blood loses its ability to carry oxygen to the tissues, and symptoms of acute oxygen deficiency appear.

Visible signs of poisoning appear when the carboxyhemoglobin content is relatively general content hemoglobin in the blood exceeds 20%. At 30%, dizziness, weakness in the legs, decreased visual acuity appear, at 40-50%, clouding of consciousness, 60-70% carboxyhemoglobin content leads to death. The higher the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air, the faster the dangerous concentration of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood is reached. For example, inhaling air containing 0.1% carbon monoxide leads to a 40% level of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood in less than 3 hours if the person is at rest. And if he is busy with hard work, the lungs are actively ventilated, and the formation of carboxyhemoglobin occurs faster - the same level.

When small amounts of carbon monoxide are exposed to the body over a long period of time, carboxyhemoglobin is constantly present in the blood. There are no obvious signs of poisoning at a carboxyhemoglobin concentration of 2-10%, but such people often complain of headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, bad dream, pain in the heart area, weakening of memory and attention. Symptoms familiar to many residents of big cities. And city residents who smoke make the situation even worse.

HOW TO HELP SOMEONE POISONED BY CARBON MONOXIDE

How can you help a person poisoned by carbon monoxide? First of all, it is necessary to help the blood get rid of carboxyhemoglobin as quickly as possible, to shift the balance towards the formation of a compound of hemoglobin with oxygen. And to do this, even before the ambulance team arrives, take (or carry) the victim out into the fresh air.

An increase in oxygen concentration in the air accelerates the removal of carboxyhemoglobin from the blood. Doctors, for example, give the victim to breathe pure oxygen or, if possible, oxygen under pressure in a pressure chamber, stimulating his breathing with medication or using artificial respiration methods. Doctors have other medications in their arsenal to combat carbon monoxide poisoning, for example, iron compounds “intercepting” CO from hemoglobin and speeding up its removal from the body.

How longer body is in conditions of tissue oxygen starvation, the more severe its consequences, primarily for the heart muscle and brain. Therefore, cure of immediate syndromes severe poisoning does not yet mean complete recovery. Damage to the neurons of the cerebral cortex often occurs; in 7 cases out of 10 after poisoning, mental disorders, loss of immediate memory, and personality changes may appear within 3 months.

Summarize: What should you do to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning? First of all, follow basic safety rules when firing stoves, do not keep the car with the engine running closed space, ventilate kitchens equipped with gas stoves as often as possible. Visit as much as possible fresh air, avoiding walking on busy highways, especially near traffic jams. Do not miss any opportunity to visit the countryside, trying to increase your exposure to the fresh air whenever possible. physical activity to actively “breathe.” And, of course, do not smoke and do not allow smoking near you. And then the insidious carbon monoxide will not be scary.

What is carbon monoxide and where is it formed?

Carbon monoxide is formed during the incomplete combustion of various substances. Carbon monoxide has been an everyday companion of people for a long time. It is released into the atmosphere at large quantities vehicles, gas stoves, fuel heating systems, during smoking and even by the person himself when breathing.

Since this gas is odorless, it is almost impossible to detect its increased content in a room. According to statistics, carbon monoxide intoxication ranks second among the causes of death from toxic substances, second only to alcohol and its surrogates.

Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?

What happens when a person breathes in air with a high concentration of CO? To do this, you need to remember what function the lungs perform. A person breathes to saturate all systems and organs of his body with oxygen, otherwise hypoxia and death will occur. Carbon monoxide combines with the main blood protein to form carboxyhemoglobin. This deprives red blood cells of the ability to deliver oxygen to blood cells, and, as a result, carbon monoxide poisoning occurs. The consequences vary depending on the severity of such intoxication. First, hypoxia manifests itself in the form of dizziness, weakness in the legs, and darkening of the eyes. If the concentration of carbon monoxide increases, confusion and death occur.

There are constant low levels of carbon monoxide in the air in every major city. Signs of chronic poisoning with this gas include causeless headaches, fatigue, weakness, irritability and sleep problems. Smoking residents of megacities and people forced to breathe tobacco smoke are especially affected. The carbon monoxide content in the lungs of these people exceeds the norm by forty times.

How to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning?

To minimize the risk of toxicity from this substance, you need to know where its concentrations can be dangerously high. Carbon monoxide is always deadly in unventilated areas. Therefore, you should not turn on the car engine in a closed garage or box. Also, do not lock the damper in a room with a stove or other fuel heating. Cooking on a gas stove is a reason to open the window. There is a huge danger of getting caught in fires and explosions, so an attempt to save property when the fire is small can be fatal. Often people die in their sleep precisely because they did not feel sick in time due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible to completely protect yourself from carbon monoxide in large cities. Getting carbon monoxide while smoking is voluntary, but it is better to protect yourself from passive smoking. Doctors advise against jogging or cycling near busy highways. By doing this you will do yourself more harm than good. For sports, it is better to choose a quiet park or alley, which are located away from places where carbon monoxide accumulates.

Sections