Question
Carbonmonoxide gas is more dangerous than carbondioxide. Why?
Solution
Carbon monoxide as pollutant binds itself to haemoglobin (present in red blood corpuscles of the blood) much more strongly than oxygen to form a stable compound known as carboxyhaemoglobin (Hb – CO).
The presence of CO, therefore, reduces the amount of haemoglobin available in the blood for transport of inhaled oxygen to various part of the body. Thus CO causes obstruction in the normal functioning of blood which further produces disorders in normal metabolism due to less O2 level. Hence, the presence of CO in the blood causes mental retardation and even causes death.
On the other hand, the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide can cause mild narcotic effects and also change climatic conditions especially by raising the global temperature (greenhouse effect). Hence carbon monoxide gas is more dangerous than carbon dioxide.
The presence of CO, therefore, reduces the amount of haemoglobin available in the blood for transport of inhaled oxygen to various part of the body. Thus CO causes obstruction in the normal functioning of blood which further produces disorders in normal metabolism due to less O2 level. Hence, the presence of CO in the blood causes mental retardation and even causes death.
On the other hand, the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide can cause mild narcotic effects and also change climatic conditions especially by raising the global temperature (greenhouse effect). Hence carbon monoxide gas is more dangerous than carbon dioxide.
