Answer:
Carbon monoxide prevents your body's blood cells from carrying enough oxygen to your body.
Explanation:
Carbon monoxide is a gas produced based on the incomplete burning of carbon-rich fuel material. Despite its applications in the industry, it is a very toxic asphyxiating gas that, depending on the exposure time and the amount inhaled, can lead to death because it prevents the blood cells in your body from carrying enough oxygen to your body.
The main route of intoxication with carbon monoxide is respiratory, which causes CO to reach the lungs quickly and cause intoxication. After inhalation, carbon monoxide is diffused through blood vessels, combining with hemoglobin, responsible for the transport of O2 by the human body, resulting in carboxyhemoglobin.
Carbon monoxide has about 200 times more affinity with hemoglobin than oxygen gas and, by binding to it, decreases the amount of hemoglobin available for the transport of O2 by the human body. This competition with oxygen can lead to death from suffocation.
After inhalation, carbon monoxide can cause mild symptoms of poisoning, headaches and even shortness of breath, leading to death. The symptoms depend on the concentration of CO in the atmospheric air and the time of exposure to the gas. Rapid exposure to gas can lead to fainting, confusion, nausea and headaches. When the inhalation time increases, the symptoms worsen and can cause intoxication of the central nervous system, convulsions, decrease in heart rate and breathing, causing the death of the organism.
