CARBON DIOXIDE POISONING - It is possible to suffer anoxia or asphyxiation from breathing carbon dioxide, because exposure to increased levels of carbon dioxide may be related to decreased concentration of oxygen, which you need in order to live. Another potential concern is dry ice, which is the solid form of carbon dioxide. Dry ice generally is not toxic, but it is extremely cold, so if you touch it you risk getting frostbite. As the concentration of carbon dioxide increases, people start to experience carbon dioxide intoxication, which may progress to carbon dioxide poisoning and sometimes death. Elevated blood and tissue levels of carbon dioxide are termed hypercapnia and hypercarbia.

.....................................................................................................................................................

Carbon Dioxide Poisoning

The Truth About Carbon Dioxide Poisoning

by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. 

You are exposed to carbon dioxide every day in the air you breathe and in household products, so you might be concerned about carbon dioxide poisoning.

Here's the truth about carbon dioxide poisoning and whether it's something you need to worry about.

Can Carbon Dioxide Poison You?

At ordinary levels, carbon dioxide or CO₂ is non-toxic. It is a normal component of air and so safe it is added to beverages to carbonate them.

When you use baking soda or baking powder, you are purposely introducing carbon dioxide bubbles into your food to make it rise.

Carbon dioxide is as safe a chemical as any you'll ever encounter.

Then Why the Concern Over Carbon Dioxide Poisoning?

First, it's easy to confuse carbon dioxide, CO₂, with carbon monoxide, CO.

Carbon monoxide is a product of combustion, among other things, and it is extremely toxic.

The two chemicals are not the same, but because they both have carbon and oxygen in them and sound similar, some people get confused.

Yet, carbon dioxide poisoning is a real concern.

It is possible to suffer anoxia or asphyxiation from breathing carbon dioxide, because exposure to increased levels of carbon dioxide may be related to decreased concentration of oxygen, which you need in order to live.

Another potential concern is dry ice, which is the solid form of carbon dioxide.

Dry ice generally is not toxic, but it is extremely cold, so if you touch it you risk getting frostbite.

Dry ice sublimates into carbon dioxide gas.

The cold carbon dioxide gas is heavier than the surrounding air, so the concentration of carbon dioxide near the floor may be high enough to displace oxygen, potentially posing a danger to pets or small children.

Dry ice does not pose a significant hazard when it is used in a well-ventilated area.

Carbon Dioxide Intoxication and Carbon Dioxide Poisoning

As the concentration of carbon dioxide increases, people start to experience carbon dioxide intoxication, which may progress to carbon dioxide poisoning and sometimes death.

Elevated blood and tissue levels of carbon dioxide are termed hypercapnia and hypercarbia.

Carbon Dioxide Poisoning Causes

There are several causes of carbon dioxide poisoning and intoxication.

It may result from hypoventilation, which in turn may be caused by not breathing often or deeply enough, rebreathing exhaled air (e.g., from a blanket over the head or sleeping in a tent), or breathing in an enclosed space (e.g., a mine, a closet, a shed).

Scuba divers are at risk of carbon dioxide intoxication and poisoning, usually from poor air filtration, not breathing at the normal rate, or simply from having a harder time breathing.

Breathing the air near volcanoes or their vents may cause hypercapnia.

Sometimes carbon dioxide levels become imbalanced when a person is unconscious.

Carbon dioxide poisoning can occur in space craft and submarines when scrubbers aren't functioning properly.

Carbon Dioxide Poisoning Treatment

Treatment of carbon dioxide intoxication or carbon dioxide poisoning involves getting carbon dioxide levels back to normal in the patient's bloodstream and tissues.

A person suffering from mild carbon dioxide intoxication typically can recover simply by breathing normal air.

However, it is important to communicate a suspicion of carbon dioxide intoxication in case the symptoms worsen so that proper medical treatment may be administered.

If multiple or serious symptoms are seen, call for emergency medical help.

The best treatment is prevention and education so that conditions of high CO₂ levels are avoided and so you know what to watch for if you suspect the levels may be too high.

Symptoms of Carbon Dioxide Intoxication and Poisoning

·           Deeper breathing

·          Twitching of muscles

·          Increased blood pressure

·         Headache

·         Increased pulse rate

·         Loss of judgment

·         Labored breathing

·         Unconsciousness (occurs in under a minute when CO₂ concentration rises about 10%)

·         Death

Key Points

·          Carbon dioxide poisoning results in a condition called hypercapnia or hypercarbia.

·          Carbon dioxide intoxication and poisoning can elevate pulse rate and blood pressure, produce a headache, and result in poor judgement. It can result in unconsciousness and death.

·          There are multiple causes of carbon dioxide poisoning. Lack of air circulation, in particular, can be dangerous because breathing removes oxygen from the air and adds to its carbon dioxide content.

·          While carbon dioxide can be toxic, it is a normal component of air. The body actually uses carbon dioxide to maintain proper pH levels and to synthesize fatty acids.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Introduction

Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville - Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Science educator with experience teaching chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels.

ThoughtCo and About Education chemistry expert since 2001.

Widely-published graphic artist, responsible for printable periodic tables and other illustrations used in science.

Experience

Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D. has covered chemistry for ThoughtCo and About Education since 2001, and other sciences since 2013. She taught chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels. She has worked as a research scientist and also abstracting and indexing diverse scientific literature for the Department of Energy.

In addition to her work as a science writer, Dr. Helmenstine currently serves as a scientific consultant, specializing in problems requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Previously, she worked as a research scientist and college professor. 

Education

Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a B.A. in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College. In her doctoral work, Dr. Helmenstine developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests.

ThoughtCo and Dotdash

ThoughtCo is a premier reference site focusing on expert-created education content. We are one of the top-10 information sites in the world as rated by comScore, a leading Internet measurement company. Every month, more than 13 million readers seek answers to their questions on ThoughtCo.

For more than 20 years, Dotdash brands have been helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired. We are one of the top-20 largest content publishers on the Internet according to comScore, and reach more than 30% of the U.S. population monthly. Our brands collectively have won more than 20 industry awards in the last year alone, and recently Dotdash was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday, a leading industry publication.

https://www.thoughtco.com/carbon-dioxide-poisoning-608396