Poisoning by combustion products – the main cause (80% of all cases) of deaths in fires. Over 60% of them are due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Let's try to figure it out and remember knowledge from physics and chemistry.
What is carbon monoxide and why is it dangerous?
Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide, or carbon monoxide, chemical formula CO) is a gaseous compound formed during combustion of any kind. What happens when this substance enters the body?
After entering the respiratory tract, carbon monoxide molecules immediately end up in the blood and bind to hemoglobin molecules. A completely new substance is formed - carboxyhemoglobin, which interferes with the transport of oxygen. For this reason, oxygen deficiency develops very quickly.
The biggest danger– carbon monoxide is invisible and in no way perceptible, it has neither odor nor color, that is, the cause of the illness is not obvious, it is not always possible to detect it immediately. Carbon monoxide cannot be felt in any way, which is why its second name is the silent killer. Feeling tired, weak and dizzy, a person makes a fatal mistake - he decides to lie down. And, even if he later understands the reason and the need for going out into the air, as a rule, he is no longer able to do anything. Knowledge could save many symptoms of CO poisoning– knowing them, it is possible to suspect the cause of the illness in time and take the necessary measures to save it.
Symptoms and signs
The severity of the lesion depends on several factors:
- state of health and physiological characteristics of a person. Weakened, having chronic diseases, especially those accompanied by anemia, the elderly, pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the effects of CO;
- duration of exposure of the CO compound to the body;
- concentration of carbon monoxide in inspired air;
- physical activity during poisoning. The higher the activity, the faster poisoning occurs.
Severity
(Infographics are available via the download button after the article)
Mild degree severity is characterized by the following symptoms:
- general weakness;
- headaches, mainly in the frontal and temporal regions;
- knocking in temples;
- noise in ears;
- dizziness;
- visual impairment – flickering, dots before the eyes;
- unproductive, i.e. dry cough;
- rapid breathing;
- lack of air, shortness of breath;
- lacrimation;
- nausea;
- hyperemia (redness) of the skin and mucous membranes;
- tachycardia;
- increased blood pressure.
Symptoms medium degree severity is the preservation of all the symptoms of the previous stage and their more severe form:
- fogginess, possible loss of consciousness for a short time;
- vomit;
- hallucinations, both visual and auditory;
- violation by vestibular apparatus, uncoordinated movements;
- pressing chest pain.
Severe degree poisoning is characterized by the following symptoms:
- paralysis;
- long-term loss of consciousness, coma;
- convulsions;
- dilated pupils;
- involuntary bowel movement Bladder and intestines;
- increased heart rate up to 130 beats per minute, but it is faintly palpable;
- cyanosis (blue discoloration) of the skin and mucous membranes;
- breathing problems – it becomes shallow and intermittent.
Atypical forms
There are two of them - fainting and euphoric.
Symptoms of fainting:
- pallor of the skin and mucous membranes;
- decreased blood pressure;
- loss of consciousness.
Symptoms of the euphoric form:
- psychomotor agitation;
- mental dysfunction: delirium, hallucinations, laughter, strange behavior;
- loss of consciousness;
- respiratory and heart failure.
First aid for victims
It is very important to act promptly, as irreversible consequences occur very quickly.
First, it is necessary to take the victim out into fresh air as quickly as possible. In cases where this is difficult, the victim must be put on a gas mask with a hopcalite cartridge as quickly as possible and given an oxygen cushion.
Secondly, you need to make breathing easier - clear the airways, if necessary, unfasten clothes, lay the victim on his side in order to prevent possible tongue retraction.
Thirdly, stimulate breathing. Apply ammonia, rub the chest, warm the limbs.
And most importantly, you need to call an ambulance. Even if a person appears to be in satisfactory condition at first glance, it is necessary that he be examined by a doctor, since it is not always possible to determine the true degree of poisoning only by symptoms. In addition, promptly initiated therapeutic measures will reduce the risk of complications and mortality from carbon monoxide poisoning.
If the victim’s condition is serious, it is necessary to carry out resuscitation measures until doctors arrive.
Sources of danger
Nowadays, cases of poisoning occur a little less frequently than in those days when heating of residential premises was predominantly stoves, but there are still enough sources of increased risk.
Potential carbon monoxide poisoning hazards:
- at home with stove heating, fireplaces. Improper operation increases the risk of carbon monoxide entering the premises, thus causing entire families to burn out in their homes;
- baths, saunas, especially those that are heated “on black”;
- garages;
- in industries using carbon monoxide;
- long-term stay near major roads;
- fire in a closed space (elevator, shaft, etc., which are impossible to leave without outside help).
Only numbers
- A mild degree of poisoning occurs already at a carbon monoxide concentration of 0.08% - headache, dizziness, suffocation, and general weakness occur.
- An increase in CO concentration to 0.32% causes motor paralysis and fainting. After about half an hour, death occurs.
- At a CO concentration of 1.2% and above, a fulminant form of poisoning develops - in a couple of breaths a person receives a lethal dose, death occurs within a maximum of 3 minutes.
- The exhaust gases of a passenger car contain from 1.5 to 3% carbon monoxide. Contrary to popular belief, you can get poisoned while the engine is running not only indoors, but also outdoors.
- About two and a half thousand people in Russia are hospitalized annually with varying degrees of severity of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) // Harmful substances in industry. Handbook for chemists, engineers and doctors / Ed. N.V. Lazarev and I.D. Gadaskina. - 7th ed. - L.: Chemistry, 1977. - T. 3. - P. 240-253. - 608 p.
Carbon monoxide concentration and symptoms of poisoning
Prevention measures
In order to minimize the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning, it is enough to follow the following rules:
- operate stoves and fireplaces in accordance with the rules, regularly check the operation of the ventilation system in a timely manner, and trust the laying of stoves and fireplaces only to professionals;
- do not stay near busy roads for a long time;
- Always turn off the car engine in a closed garage. It only takes five minutes of engine operation for the concentration of carbon monoxide to become lethal - remember this;
- When staying in a car for a long time, and even more so sleeping in a car, always turn off the engine;
- make it a rule - if symptoms arise that suggest carbon monoxide poisoning, provide fresh air as soon as possible by opening the windows, or better yet, leave the room. Do not lie down if you feel dizzy, nauseous, or weak.
Remember - carbon monoxide is insidious, it acts quickly and imperceptibly, so life and health depend on speed measures taken. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
If the instantaneous water heater is working properly, the fuel burns mixed with oxygen in the required proportion. During the combustion of fuel, ordinary carbon dioxide (CO₂) is released, which is harmless to humans. In my own way chemical composition CO₂ is similar to the air that people exhale when they breathe. Carbon monoxide from geysers is CO (carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide). The gas is toxic and can accumulate in blood cells and cause serious poisoning of the body.
Causes of carbon monoxide from the column
The main catalyst for the appearance of CO: a lean gas-air mixture; the fuel burns with a small, insufficient amount of oxygen. During the combustion process, extremely toxic carbon monoxide is released. The causes of disturbances and CO production are:- Faulty water heaters- clogged jets, lack of carbon monoxide sensor, attenuation pilot burner(in semi-automatic models). In the latter case, poisoning occurs not from the combustion product, but directly from the methane itself.
- Violations of the rules for connecting a water heater- the most common cause of tragedies. Carbon monoxide poisoning during operation of a gas water heater occurs:
- if a forced hood is installed in the kitchen;
- smoke ducts are damaged or littered;
- there is no sufficient (according to regulatory documents triple) air replacement;
- insufficient traction.
How to check a column for carbon monoxide
First, remember that carbon monoxide is odorless. Accordingly, its leakage can be determined only with the help of special sensors and alarms. If the latter are absent, you should pay attention to the following obvious signs of a column malfunction:- No traction- there are special holes in the speaker housing through which air from the room enters the burner. As a result of circulation, sufficient pressure is created to remove combustion products. You can check the draft with a burning match. When you bring it to the slots on the casing of the flow gas boiler the flame should be drawn inward.
- Changing the color of the flame on the burner- a bright yellow flame, a sign of dirty jets. With the correct proportions of the gas-air mixture, the color should be “blue”. After a few minutes of operation, the water heater often turns off.
Despite existing indirect signs, indicating a boiler malfunction, only a carbon monoxide sensor will accurately indicate the existing problem. The device will alert you to high CO levels.
Installation of the alarm is not necessary, but once connected it ensures peace of mind and safety for residents of a private house or apartment using instantaneous or storage water heaters.
Why is carbon monoxide dangerous from a water heater?
The harm from CO lies in its detrimental effect on the human body. Carbon monoxide has the ability to penetrate into the blood, preventing hemoglobin from carrying oxygen vital for the functionality of the human body. The danger is due to the fact that CO remains in the bloodstream for a long time. There are common cases where a person died a few days after poisoning.The second reason for the high toxicity of CO is due to the fact that there is no smell of carbon monoxide in the apartment or house. The poison penetrates into the body unnoticed by humans.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas water heater:
- vomit;
- confusion;
- bluish skin tone;
- headaches and dizziness;
- impaired coordination and ability to navigate in space;
- irritability for no apparent reason.
If symptoms of poisoning appear, it is necessary to shut off the gas supply and ensure unimpeded access of oxygen to the victim. It would be good to ventilate the room. If the victim is conscious, you can go outside to get some fresh air. Call an ambulance!
All these amenities individually are harmless and do not pose a danger to humans. But when using electric fans in bathrooms or electric hoods in kitchens with the windows closed, together with working gas water heaters and boilers, it appears potential danger for health and life. There was a long period in Sevastopol when two people died annually due to improper use of gas equipment.
Before installing a gas water heater or boiler in an apartment, special services of Gorgaz conduct instructions, which people, as a rule, treat superficially. “This can happen to anyone, but not to me,” they think.
Why can a boiler with a column be dangerous?
“An apartment is like a vessel with air,” explains Igor Evgenievich. - If all the windows and doors are closed and the hood is working, where does the air that this hood pulled out of the apartment come from? The draft in the smoke and ventilation ducts “overturns”, changes direction, and all ducts begin to supply air from the street to the apartment. And if a water heater or boiler is running nearby, carbon monoxide begins to flow into the apartment along with the street air.”
Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and the primary symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to food poisoning. Pets and small children are usually the first to receive a dose of poisoning.
“Several years ago we had a poisoning,” says the manager. - The child and father died. The reason was that the gas boiler and hood were turned on and all the windows were closed. At first the cat felt bad and began to vomit. The animal was thrown onto the balcony without even thinking that these were symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. The child was the second to feel poisoned. He breathed this gas, received a critical dose and fell unconscious.”
A person can detect only the mildest stage of poisoning - general malaise, dizziness, nausea. The poisoned person cannot determine the next stages and their signs - the brain loses normal performance, becomes stupefied, and the person ceases to adequately perceive what is happening - he feels bad, but he does not know how to turn off the gas appliance and open the window.
“There was another case: two young people came from Kherson and rented an apartment. We arrived late at night and decided to take a shower. The result is two corpses. We walk in - the gas water heater is on, the windows are closed. A young girl is lying in the corridor and a guy is in the bathroom. The elderly owner of the apartment cries: “I told them, open the window!” And in the kitchen, the rules for using the speaker are written in huge letters,” said Igor Evgenievich.
Carbon monoxide quietly and imperceptibly kills a person: literally 10-15 minutes with its two percent content in an apartment is a lethal dose.
“Several years ago, in a house on the street. Kievskaya, the body of a young guy was discovered. The cause of death was a lethal dose of carbon monoxide in the blood. The apartment has double-glazed windows, thick, rubberized metal Entrance door, when you turn on the light in the bathroom, a fan built into the duct turns on, sucking air out of the room. We conducted an investigative experiment in the apartment, repeating the conditions of what happened. At behind closed doors and windows, working ventilation in the bathroom, the draft in the smoke and ventilation ducts disappeared. The experiment showed that while using the gas water heater, the window in the kitchen was closed. This violation led to the guy’s death. By the way, he had already died in the hospital; when they brought him in, it turned out that they didn’t even have syringes, and, in general, the doctors didn’t know why he was feeling bad. If help is not provided in time, the result is the death of a person. And it all happened like this: the guy went to wash, turned on the light and, accordingly, the ventilation. Less than ten minutes had passed when the draft in the apartment's ducts changed direction and carbon monoxide began to flow into the apartment. After washing himself, the guy went to bed and never woke up.”
To avoid such cases, you need to follow a few simple rules:
1. Every day before using the boiler and the boiler, it is necessary to check the draft in the smoke and ventilation ducts.
This can be done by placing a piece of paper near the ventilation grille, lighting a match under the smoke eliminator hood of a gas appliance, or opening the ash pan - a technological hatch with a door for checking draft, which is located under the chimney and should be in every boiler. Under normal conditions it should always be closed.
If a sheet of paper sticks to the ventilation grille, and the flame of a match deviates towards the channel, then there is draft.
Please note: the draft in apartments in summer is much worse than in winter.
2. During operation of the boiler or boiler, be sure to open the window at least 2-3 fingers: for their normal operation there must be an air flow. In an apartment with tightly closed windows, there is simply nowhere for air to come from. And if the window is open, there will be no danger.
3. Do not turn on the hood or ventilation at the same time as the boiler or water heater is running.
The electric fan in the bathroom works on the same principle as the hood: it also sucks air out of the apartment.
4. You can use the gas water heater for no more than half an hour. Afterwards, turn off the equipment for twenty minutes and you can turn it on again for half an hour if necessary.
“If a person fulfills all these requirements, then nothing threatening to health will happen even with old geysers that are almost 50 years old,” reports Igor Evgenievich.
“In Sevastopol, not a single fatal poisoning was recorded in an apartment where the window was open at the time of use of the gas water heater or boiler,” the specialist shares. “This is a very important condition.”
Do not rely on the automation of modern gas appliances: it does not recognize carbon monoxide, but reacts to changes in the temperature of the smoke returning back. And if it’s cool outside, the mixture of carbon monoxide with street air remains cool and the sensors do not detect an increase in temperature and do not turn off the gas appliance. The apartment begins to become saturated with carbon monoxide.
“Many people say: “Why a boiler then, if you open the window in the cold?” But this is how it should be, this is your guarantee against an accident.
There is nowhere to get air for burning natural gas except from the window. Carbon monoxide is an element of under-combustion, that is, natural gas in a gas appliance burns incorrectly. When natural gas burns normally, combustion products that are harmless to humans - carbon dioxide and water vapor - are released into the chimney. But if there is not enough oxygen in the room, natural gas begins to burn incorrectly, releasing soot and carbon monoxide, which are very dangerous to life.
There were cases when people entered the apartment, wanting to provide help, began to pump out the victim without opening the window and also fell, having inhaled,” says Igor Evgenievich.
Why check traction?
It happens that pigeons and rats get into the canal, fallen leaves, and a package can fly in. It is quite possible that today the furnace service checked the draft in your apartment and found that everything is working normally, and tomorrow a foreign object will get into the chimney duct. This is all very serious: “There was a case when a rat built a nest in a warm place and completely blocked the chimney duct. People were only slightly poisoned from this, and, fortunately, no one except the rat was seriously injured. And if they had checked the draft before turning on the gas appliance, nothing would have happened.”
Igor Evgenievich said that recently a new type of gas equipment has appeared - turbocharged. These gas appliances, equipped with a closed combustion chamber, are modern and safe: all combustion products go outside through a pipe passing through outer wall Houses. Such equipment is usually installed in new houses. “When using it, you can turn on the hood, ventilation, and not open the window,” the specialist concluded.
Carbon monoxide poisoning, unfortunately, is not such a rare accident that accompanies the illiterate operation of a solid fuel or gas boiler, fireplace, gas stove, or water heater. Spread of a toxic substance can also occur if broken equipment is used. A frightening prospect, you will agree.
A miniature device - a carbon monoxide detector for the home - will promptly warn the owners and eliminate negative consequences. It reliably detects the appearance of harmful substances in the air. Here you will learn how to choose it correctly, where to install it, how to monitor and respond to the device’s readings.
In the article we presented, the principle of operation is thoroughly analyzed and the types of sensors that ensure the safety of household members are given. The installation process is carefully described, valuable recommendations. To optimize perception, the material is supplemented with visual illustrations and video tips.
Carbon monoxide, or CO as it is also called, is a product of the oxidation reaction of substances at high temperatures, simply put, carbon monoxide is formed during the combustion process. CO is always released in small quantities when food is cooked.
However, exceeding the permissible gas content in a room is fraught with serious damage to health, and can sometimes lead to death.
Carbon monoxide kills thousands of people every year simply because people fail to perceive the threat before symptoms occur. This often happens when it is too late to do anything.
Only special devices can detect the substance in the air, because the gas has neither odor nor color. In addition, it has a toxic effect on the body upon inhalation.
When carbon monoxide enters the lungs, it combines with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin. The substance interferes with the process of saturating blood cells with oxygen and causes hypoxia of body tissues.
To determine the presence of gas in the air, sensors are used, the scope of which is demonstrated by a photo selection:
Image gallery
When installing the sensor in the same room as the fire source, you should follow minimum distance between the source and the sensor. As a rule, for an objective analysis of air, you need to maintain a distance of 4-5 m.
Some sensor models are triggered when the air temperature rises above 50 degrees. This phenomenon occurs when a fire starts in the room and the source of the flame is in close proximity to the device. At the same time, the amount of fume released may not yet reach an alarming level.
The device must be located in such a place that nothing interferes with the air flow. This is typical for cases where the detector mount is located behind a curtain. Air circulation around the sensor is the main point to pay attention to. Because some interior objects may block the inlet of the device and as a result the system will not provide 100% protection.
You can check the functionality of the analyzer different ways. The easiest way is to buy a special CO2 canister. By spraying it near the detector, you can make sure that the installation operation is correct.
A can of carbon dioxide can be found at any hardware store. You need to be careful when using it, because... the substance is under pressure
It is worth observing some points when implementing this process. Firstly, under no circumstances should you direct the aerosol stream directly at the device. This is important because the direct concentration of the substance is tens of times higher than the actual amount required to trigger the sensor.
Such an undertaking can either negatively affect the functionality of the sensor or simply disable it. Most manufacturers insist on specialized equipment inspection by qualified technicians. Naturally, the procedure is paid, but this way you can be sure that the CO detector is working properly.
To avoid breakdowns, you need to keep the room clean, first of all, try to prevent dust from accumulating on the sensor body.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
The main safety violations when installing gas equipment and recommendations on how to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning:
Carbon monoxide is dangerous because at high concentrations it can kill in a matter of minutes. Detectors will take care of home safety by organizing round-the-clock monitoring of air composition. The choice of device depends only on personal preferences and the price of the device.
Please write comments: share your experience in choosing and using gas analyzers, ask questions. We and site visitors are ready to participate in the conversation and clarify unclear points.
“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, as happens with carbon monoxide poisoning. 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.
A product of incomplete combustion of any fuel that contains carbon - gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, natural gas, coal, firewood... It can form absolutely anywhere. 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 mind 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. Coming oxygen starvation. The central one immediately suffers from it nervous system and cardiovascular system.
What to do to avoid getting burned?
Monitor the serviceability of the equipment and ventilation, check the draft before each use of gas equipment, open the windows as often as possible, and light the stove very carefully.
AND AT THIS TIME
"If you use gas equipment that's right, nothing will happen"
- There are more than 100 thousand gas water heaters in the apartments of Belarusians. 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 may have devices that can detect carbon monoxide.
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 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.
