Does anyone know the lethal dosage of carbon monoxide?

35 ppm (0.0035%) Headache and dizziness within six to eight hours of constant exposure
100 ppm (0.01%) Slight headache in two to three hours
200 ppm (0.02%) Slight headache within two to three hours
400 ppm (0.04%) Frontal headache within one to two hours
1,600 ppm (0.16%) Dizziness, nausea, and convulsions within 45 minutes. Insensible within two hours.
3,200 ppm (0.32%) Headache, dizziness and nausea in five to ten minutes. Death within 30 minutes.
6,400 ppm (0.64%) Headache and dizziness in one to two minutes. Death in less than 20 minutes.
12,800 ppm (1.28%) Unconsciousness after 2-3 breaths. Death in less than three minutes.


Concentration Source
0.1 ppm Natural background atmosphere level (MOPITT)
0.5 to 5 ppm Average background level in homes[8]
5 to 15 ppm Levels near properly adjusted gas stoves in homes[8]
100 to 200 ppm Mexico City central area from automobiles[9]
5,000 ppm Chimney of a home wood fire[10]
7,000 ppm Undiluted warm car exhaust[10]
30,000 ppm Undiluted cigarette smoke[10]

I've had minor CO poisoning. It's not fun. #'s are from WIKI, so take them for what they are.
 
kill two birds with one stone, get a fire detector with a carbon monoxide
tester with it.home depot, or some home center.
vern
 
I have wonderful carbon monoxide detector on the wall. It is a Snap-on poster. When she get blurry I mean in a penthouse kind of way. I need some fresh air and i need to rethink my ventilation system. Before anyone says anything no drinking in my shop.
 
OK...I'll do a mini repeat of something I've stated before.

First of all those wiki numbers are meaningless (though well intended).
As an emergency physician I have taken care of countless numbers of patients who had NO symptoms until they got to the late stage (vomiting and fainting).

The biggest problem with CO is that there is a personality change/memory capacity change that occurs with UNCERTAIN exposures to CO. This could mean low doses over long periods of time or one big event.

As there is so little known about the mental changes and exposure...I would suggest a no risk attitude. Vent, CO monitor (if you can really trust those) and get a canary :)

Dean
 
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IIRC, CO is lighter than air so as an extra precaution, you could put in vent to the outside at the highest point. A detector sounds like a must here!
 
The one I purchased is a propane and carbon monoxide. It also gives highest ppm reached with a reset button.
 
Hey Guys,
I was just asking because my brother gave me a CO tester awhile ago, and I checked it last time I did some forging. It said 400 ppm, evacuate. I hadn't noticed anything like drowsyness or headaches, but I decided to install a hood to suck the exhaust from my forge, outside. Better safe than sorry. I suppose I've been exposed to low levels of CO for quite awhile, though I only forge with the barn doors closed in cold weather.
Anyway, thanks everyone for your input. I'm glad to know that 400 ppm is probably not going to kill me. :D Those levels should go way down once I finish the venting system.

Phillip
 
Phillip it is not one of those things that you stick your head and inhale and it kills you. It kind of builds up in you. The CO binds with your hemogloblin instead of the O2. The hemogloblin likes it better thant the O2 so therefore it just stays there. So it just keeps building up untill you are not getting any oxygen at all and you suffocate. Realize that is a very simple explanation but that is basically the way it works. So get that vent fixed and quit forging with the doors closed.
 
WadeH said:
Phillip it is not one of those things that you stick your head and inhale and it kills you. It kind of builds up in you. The CO binds with your hemogloblin instead of the O2. The hemogloblin likes it better thant the O2 so therefore it just stays there. So it just keeps building up untill you are not getting any oxygen at all and you suffocate. Realize that is a very simple explanation but that is basically the way it works. So get that vent fixed and quit forging with the doors closed.
Click to expand...


Don't worry, one of my big goals in life is to make it to middle-age. ;) I'll be careful.
 
B Finnigan said:
It's heavier then air and will accumulate in low places.
Click to expand...

I've been wondering about that for a long time. Thanks, I always keep my garage doors open (2 doors) open at least 12" whenever I forge, no matter what the weather, I'd rather be cold than dead. Figure this how ya gonna get cold when your forge is operating at 1700oF or so.:jerkit:
 
Phillip Patton said:
Hey Guys,
I was just asking because my brother gave me a CO tester awhile ago, and I checked it last time I did some forging. It said 400 ppm, evacuate. I hadn't noticed anything like drowsyness or headaches, but I decided to install a hood to suck the exhaust from my forge, outside. Better safe than sorry. I suppose I've been exposed to low levels of CO for quite awhile, though I only forge with the barn doors closed in cold weather.
Anyway, thanks everyone for your input. I'm glad to know that 400 ppm is probably not going to kill me. :D Those levels should go way down once I finish the venting system.


Phillip
Click to expand...
It DOES bind to hemoglobin, displacing O2
Last time I co poisoned myself, I didn't notice anything until everything was yellow and I felt *off* I was using an acetylene torch with a heater tip with the doors closed in a quite spacious (24x24x10) shop for about 45 minutes
My forge easily produces 20-30 times as much combustion products in the same time period (going by weight of fuel burned) I wouldn't dream of running it inside with the doors closed (then again I wouldn't light garbage bags full of acetylene for kicks either)

-Page
 
I too have experienced this, let me save you the trouble, BUY A DETECTOR!
It really sucks, as Page has said there are serious mental effects before the physical symptoms set in. They really screw with your thought processes. I have always been hyper-aware of how my mind works. I have not taken any drugs, but I have had hallucinations. Its not like that at all, but its hard to describe, because it screws with your memory of the event as well.
Thanks,
Del
 
WadeH said:
Phillip it is not one of those things that you stick your head and inhale and it kills you. It kind of builds up in you. The CO binds with your hemogloblin instead of the O2. The hemogloblin likes it better thant the O2 so therefore it just stays there. So it just keeps building up untill you are not getting any oxygen at all and you suffocate. Realize that is a very simple explanation but that is basically the way it works. So get that vent fixed and quit forging with the doors closed.
Click to expand...







if it binds with your hemoglobin instead of 02 over time....what help is a detector going to do.....even if the levels are not really high if there are any levels isn't it going to still just keep building up in your system?......ryan
 
ryan9977 said:
if it binds with your hemoglobin instead of 02 over time....what help is a detector going to do.....even if the levels are not really high if there are any levels isn't it going to still just keep building up in your system?......ryan
Click to expand...
Good point on that one -

"The CO binds with your hemogloblin instead of the O2. The hemogloblin likes it better thant the O2 so therefore it just stays there. So it just keeps building up until you are not getting any oxygen at all and you suffocate."


Question:
How long does it remain "there", with the hemoglobin?
Is it slowly "washed" out of your system over a day's time?
 
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