KERACUNAN KARBON MONOKSIDA

KERACUNAN KARBON MONOKSIDA

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless, tasteless, colorless, poisonous gas which is caused by incomplete oxidation of carbon in combustion of fossil fuels. These fuels include natural gas, butane, propane, gasoline, kerosene, oil, coal, wood, tobacco and any other type of fuel. It is produced when fossil fuel burns incompletely or is exposed to heat or fire (Bacharach Company, 1995). Anything that creates a flame, even a candle, is a potential source of carbon monoxide. During incomplete combustion, carbon, hydrogen and available oxygen combine to form carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water and heat. Any disruption of the burning process or oxygen shortage, will result in increase carbon monoxide production and its can accumulate to dangerous levels. Incomplete oxidation during combustion in gas ranges and unvented gas or kerosene heaters may cause high concentrations of carbon monoxide in indoor air. Carbon monoxide is a cumulative poison. If inhaled, carbon monoxide deprives a person of oxygen. (Will Humble, 2004. Butcher, S. 1972).  Carboxyhemoglobin level can slowly build up in the blood during the time of exposure. In the blood stream, carbon monoxide combines with blood hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin by replacing oxygen until there is too little oxygen in the blood stream to support life. Carbon monoxide can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, faintness and death at high levels. It is estimated that carbon monoxide causes as many as 1,000 deaths per year in the United States. Worn or poorly adjusted and maintained combustion devices (e.g., boilers and furnaces) can be significant sources of poisoning. Toxicity also might occur if flue is improperly sized, blocked, disconnected or leaking.  Auto, truck or bus exhaust from attached garages, nearby roads or parking areas can also be the source. According to Mayo Clinic and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a minimum of 10,000 Americans are affected by carbon monoxide poisoning every year which comprises of illness, brain and heart damage. Additionally, the JAMA reports an estimated 1,500 people die annually due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. The cause of these deaths and injuries are attributed to improperly used or malfunctioning equipment aggravated by building construction improvements, which limit the amount of fresh air flowing into a home or other structure (US Environmental Protection Agency. 2005).

 

PUNCA KARBON MONOKSIDA

Carbon monoxide gas can potentially be produced by any appliances, internal combustion engines, tools, or similar devices, which burns fuel. If a flame is present, there is potential for carbon monoxide to exist. Common devices that have the potential for producing carbon monoxide are as follows (De Kieffer, R. 1995):

• Gas or wood fireplace and fireplace inserts.
• Wood, natural gas, liquid propane or oil furnaces and boilers.
• Blocked or clogged chimneys and grates.
• Natural gas or liquid propane stoves, clothes dryers and hot water heaters.
• Non-electric portable space heaters.
• Fuel-burning lamps or candles.
• Automobiles parked inside a garage.
• Lawnmowers and snow blowers.
• Indoor portable generators.
• Non-electric outdoor cooking grills.
• Airtight energy efficient homes.
• Cigarettes, pipes and cigars and any burning tobacco products.

Carbon monoxide is produced from combustion in two ways. First way, the ratio of fuel to oxygen is too high to permit complete combustion. Here, the amount of oxygen is too low and inadequate for the fuel being burned. Second method, the temperature of the fuel is too low to permit oxidation or combustion to occur. It can occur as a result of flame impingement where flame in contact with metal, because parts of the flame are cooled. On a gas burner, flame impingement always occurs when a pot is on a burner. As the pot becomes hotter, the carbon monoxide production decreases because the flame is not cooled as much by the impingement. As impingement surfaces change temperature, the carbon monoxide emissions change. Lots of carbon monoxide evolved when fire is quenched, below the burn temperature of the fuel. Quenching of a flame can also occur if air blows across a flame rapidly enough to cool it to below its burn temperature. This is a major reason that a defective heat exchanger in a furnace is a hazard; rapidly moving air from the distribution blower moves into the combustion area through the defect in the heat exchanger, quenching flames and producing carbon monoxide (The Chicago Protocol, 2002). Cleaning ovens with high temperatures (self-cleaning feature) can emit large amounts of smoke and high levels carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide levels of over 2000 ppm have been measured at the vent port of an electric oven during self-cleaning. During the self-cleaning process, levels of carbon monoxide in a kitchen can exceed two hundreds part per million if the oven is quite dirty ( Tsongas G. 1995 ).

 

 

BAHAYA KERACUNAN KARBON MONOKSIDA.

Acute effects are due to the formation of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood, which inhibits oxygen intake.  At moderate concentrations, angina, impaired vision, and reduced brain function may result.  At higher concentrations, carbon monoxide exposure can be fatal. Carbon monoxide gas enters into blood system through normal breathing. It enters  blood stream through lungs and attaches to red blood cells. Inhaled carbon monoxide combines with oxygen carrying hemoglobin of the blood to form carboxyhemoglobin. Once this takes place, the hemoglobin is no longer available for transporting oxygen to other parts of our body (Raub, J.A. 2002). Carbon monoxide molecules attach to hemoglobin in the red blood cells 200 times faster than oxygen, thus preventing the flow of oxygen to heart, brain and other vital organs. As the amount of carbon monoxide increases in blood stream, body becomes starved for oxygen. How fast carboxyhemoglobin accumulates in body is a factor of the concentration of the gas being inhaled (parts per million or percent) and the duration of the exposure. Too much exposure to carbon monoxide with little or no medical treatment can result in serious, permanent damage to vital organs, or death. Evidence has been medically proven to show that heart attacks and other thoracic complaints have been directly related to high exposure levels of carbon monoxide in the environment. Any exposure level, including low levels, are especially hazardous to unborn babies, infants, children, the elderly and those individuals experiencing medical problems such as anemia, heart or lung disease. No standards for carbon monoxide have been agreed upon for indoor air. The U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards for outdoor air are 9 ppm (40,000 micrograms per meter cubed) for 8 hours, and 35 ppm for 1 hour. It is most important to be sure combustion equipment is maintained and properly adjusted.  Vehicular use should be carefully managed adjacent to buildings and in vocational programs.  Additional ventilation can be used as a temporary measure when high levels of carbon monoxide are expected for short periods of time (Jan, N. 2004).

 

TANDA TANDA KERACUNAN KARBON MONOKSIDA

A person who has mild symptoms usually does not even suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are nonspecific and can be similar to symptoms of other illnesses. Early symptoms can mimic a number of other conditions with similar symptoms, which can make it difficult for a doctor to diagnose. Recent medical journal reports, suggest that approximately one in four people who have been diagnosed with the flu were actually suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. People respond differently to the same level of carbon monoxide. It is possible that a person with more severe poisoning may not even be aware of the seriousness of the condition because the exposure to carbon monoxide may cause fatigue and confusion. Because of this, carbon monoxide poisoning can range from mild to severe in different people with the same level of exposure. It range from mild flu like symptoms to severe signs of heart and brain damage. Prolonged exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide occurring over many days may result in death. General health symptoms include dizziness, nausea, fainting, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, redness of the skin, sleepiness, confusion, loss of muscle control, breathing difficulties, blurred vision, persistent and severe headache, fatigue, waking from a nights sleep without feeling rested, rapid heartbeat or pulse, tightening of the chest, chest pain when exercising, or feeling ill and/or tired while at home but healthy when away from home. Carbon monoxide poisoning should be suspected if more than one member of the family is sick and if those individual family members feel better after being away from home for an extended period of time. In low level dosages, stepping outside to breathe in fresh air will help you diagnose carbon monoxide poisoning. Those especially sensitive to carbon monoxide poisoning include fetuses, infants, people who have anemia, heart or lung diseases and people with high metabolic rate (hyperthyroidism). High levels of carbon monoxide in the blood can cause angina attacks or increase the severity of the attacks (Wright, J. 2002).

 

FAKTOR2 LAIN YG MENYUMBANG KERACUNAN CO

1. The amount of ventilation in the area where carbon monoxide is present.
2. The amount of carbon monoxide inhaled.
3. The length of time exposed to carbon monoxide.
4. Age;- Infants, small children, and older adults are more easily affected and may have more severe symptoms.
5. General health;- People with other illnesses, such as heart disease, are more easily affected and may have more severe symptoms.
6. The amount of carbon monoxide already in the blood of a person who smokes tobacco. Smokers already have some carbon monoxide in their blood and may have more severe symptoms.
7. Altitude;-  The higher the altitude, the less oxygen is present in the air to compete with the carbon monoxide (Thom, S.R.2000).