Health Effects of Exposure to High levels of of Carbon Dioxide Gas Exposure, CO2 InspectAPedia® -
Health effects of chronic or high exposure to carbon dioxide gas
Toxicity of carbon dioxide gas, CO2 exposure limits
Symptoms of CO2 or carbon dioxide poisoning
Health effects of carbon dioxide gas exposure
Recommendations for gas measurement instruments, gas detector tubes, Draeger & Gastec tubes & pumps for detection of gases
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This document discusses the health effects of exposure to elevated levels of carbon dioxide gas (CO2).
We give references and explanation regarding Toxicity of Carbon Dioxide, based on literature search and search on Compuserve's Safety Forum by Dan Friedman. This is background information, obtained from expert sources. This text may assist readers in understanding these topics. However it should by no means be considered complete nor authoritative. Seek prompt advice from your doctor or health/safety experts if you have any reason to be concerned about exposure to toxic gases.
Links on this page also direct the reader to carbon monoxide gas information in a separate document.
IF YOU SUSPECT ANY BUILDING GAS-RELATED POISONING GO INTO FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY
and get others out of the building, then call your fire department or emergency services for help.
What are the HEALTH EFFECTS of CO2 Exposure? - Potential Health Hazards of Toxic Gas Exposure
Hazard evaluation consists of comparing measurements of exposure (or dose) with exposures (doses) known to be safe or
known to be hazardous. For the most part, because of biological variation, "no effect" levels are much easier to
estimate than are "first effect" or other levels indicative of injury.
Toxic levels of carbon dioxide: According to occupational exposure and
controlled atmosphere research into CO2 toxicology, CO2 is hazardous via direct toxicity at levels above 5%, concentrations
not encountered in nature [except perhaps at or near an active volcano or at water-logged soils]. At these high levels there is risk of death from
carbon dioxide poisoning. At lower levels there may health effects and there certainly are complaints of exposure at lower levels.
In the preceding section of this article, at CO2 POISONING SYMPTOMS
we discussed symptoms of carbon dioxide exposure. On specific individuals, the effects of exposure to elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) vary by individual and with exposure level, and
exposure duration, ranging from drowsiness (perhaps at levels over 1000 ppm continuous exposure) to the toxic effects listed just above.
How might CO2 accumulate at a dangerous level in a residential property?
Carbon dioxide, CO2, from a small leak is unlikely to be dangerous, as it can be expected to be diluted with fresh air mixing in a building.
But there can be exceptions in which carbon dioxide may accumulate and reach higher, even dangerous concentrations indoors.
Flue gas spillage: in an enclosed gas-fired boiler room with a deficient chimney draft can produce high levels of
CO2.
In a case in which there is sufficient combustion air, say from a direct air duct to the gas burner, the system may not
be producing more dangerous carbon monoxide (CO),
but the heating system may nonetheless spilling flue gases with a high level of CO2 into the room from a defective chimney.
Since CO2 being more dense than air it may accumulate in an enclosed basement, crawl space, or boiler room.
Alternatively, because the CO2 in this case is a heating system
exhaust, it may be warmer than surrounding air and it may rise upwards in the building into the living space. For this reason when we
measure for the presence of flue gases, even if the gas is one which is "supposed to be" heavier than air, we may measure both high
and low in the test area.
Soil sources of high carbon dioxide in buildings: NIOSH reports on an investigation of complaints by homeowners of blurred vision,
breathlessness, and "episodic mild confusion" caused by exposure to from elevated carbon dioxide levels in a finished basement and an adjacent crawlspace.
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection detected carbon dioxide levels up to 9.5 percent in the basement
and CO2levels up to 11 percent in the crawlspace grave, with 12 percent in the basement floor drain (suggesting a soil source
of CO2 in a home in West Virginia home, according to a NIOSH report.
CO2 levels in the soil surrounding the home were measured at levels up to 8 percent. The probable source of
the high CO2 levels in the soils under and around this home were probably due to [coal] mining activities.
Are the effects of breathing CO2 permanent?
Any detrimental effects of low-level
CO2 exposure are reversible, including the long-term metabolic compensation required by chronic exposure to 3% CO2.
-- "A Review of Human Health and Ecological Risks due to CO2 Exposure," American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2001, abstract #H31C-13,
Hepple, R. P.; Benson, S. M., 05/2001.
Ongoing Research on the Effects of Increased CO2 Exposure
Discussion with Esther Cook, a scientist researching the effects of low-level
CO2 exposure. [Edited by Daniel Friedman].
I am a scientist interested in the effects of increased CO2. We know that plants grow more luxuriantly, and that this must ultimately support more animal life. I have done a PubMed and Academic search and can find almost no studies. I did find a claim that burrowing rodents typically have 1 to 4% carbon dioxide in their burrows. I also found research on 7% carbon dioxide on the retinas of baby mice--because this level is deliberately used on human beings--preemie babies to help their lungs develop faster.
I am in communication with the Idsos, who are plant experts and CO2 researchers. They can't find much either.
So far I have found:
Taylor, Lewis G. and G. Oscar Kreutziger, The Gaseous Environment of the Chick Embryo in Relation to Its Development and Hatchability, 1968 (printout does not include the Journal)
Holloway and Heath, 1984 Ventilatory Changes in the Golden Hamster..., Laboratory Rat...., Comp. Biochem. Physiol., Vol. 77A, No 2, pp. 267-273
Bruggeman et al. 2007 Acid-base balance in chicken embryois...incubated under high CO2 concentrations... Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology 159:147-154
De Smit et al, 2006 Emryonic developmental plasticity of the chick: Increased CO2 ... Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A 145: 166-175
Bar-Ilan, Amir and Jacob Marder, Adaptations to Hypercapnic conditions in the Nutria..., Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Vol 75A, No 4, pp 603-608, 1983
There are hundreds of plant studies, and greenhouses and aquariums routinely enrich with CO2 to enhance growth. But what about ourselves? Might it be the case that the results of [some] CO2 studies are politically incorrect, and that the science is has been suppressed.
There is an optimum CO2 concentration somewhere; it is higher than today's, and the individual human's life is being shortened by the panic on the subject.
Of course, there is indeed such a thing as "too much of a good thing," andInspectAPedia.com® has examples of people who died when too much CO2 was produced in enclosed spaces.
It would be worth while to find out what the optimum CO2 level for humans and other animals actually is.
Paleontological records show that about half the time since the Cambrian was spent at a very steady 10 degrees C above current averages.
This would be exactly room temperature, and I do not think that is an accident. Recent posts revealed why the Earth's temperatures would not rise above that point--increasing evaporation from the oceans would prevent any higher temperature, but we would get the conditions described in Genesis about Eden: a mist would water the ground.
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"GASES, EXPOSURE, TESTINGGases: Toxic gases, indoor exposure levels, testing, identification"
additional information on gas exposure detection, toxicity, and remedy for a wide range of toxic and other gases.
Dr. Roy Jensen, Department of Chemistry, Grant MacEwan College, Edmonton, AB for technical review and critique 8/23/07.
Dr. Jensen notes that if we increase the CO2 level in air in an enclosed space from
its normal level of about 0.03% (we counted it as starting at 0) to a level of 1.4%, we obtain a corresponding
decrease in the oxygen level from its normal level (at sea level) of about 20.9% down to 19.5%, for a 6.7%
reduction in the amount of oxygen available. The amount of oxygen lost is 6.7 % (1.4/20.9 * 100 %). Our earlier version of this document was incorrect in
this calculation.
Carbon Dioxide as a Fire Suppressant:
Examining the Risks, US EPA, EPA 430-R-00-002, February 2000, web search 08/28/2010 original source: http://nepis.epa.gov/Adobe/PDF/00000NTO.PDF
[This paper includes a review of accidents or deaths involving Carbon Dioxide as a fire extinguishing agent and reports on deaths by asphyxiation by CO2.] This paper provides information on the use and effectiveness of carbon dioxide in fire protection
systems and describes incidents involving inadvertent exposure of personnel to the gas. Because
carbon dioxide fire extinguishing systems will likely be used in place of those based on halon in
some applications, this paper attempts to provide an increased awareness of the potential dangers
associated with the use of carbon dioxide. EPA recognizes the environmental benefits of using
carbon dioxide, but is concerned that personnel accustomed to the use of halon fire suppression
systems may not be properly alerted to the special hazards of carbon dioxide. Governmental,
military, civilian, and industrial sources were researched to obtain information on deaths and
injuries associated with the use of carbon dioxide as a fire extinguishing agent. An examination of
the risks associated with carbon dioxide extinguishing systems is also presented.
GASES, EXPOSURE, TESTING Toxic Gas Exposure Hazards and Test Protocols including links
to our toxic gas exposure screening and gas testing protocols.
Thanks to scientist & CO2 exposure research scientist Esther Cook for sharing technical references (below) and discussing the effects of carbon dioxide increases in the environment - beginning August 2010.
Ms. Cook's contact information: Esther Cook "Lady Life Grows" photinacook@yahoo.com.
Taylor, Lewis G. and G. Oscar Kreutziger, The Gaseous Environment of the Chick Embryo in Relation to Its Development and Hatchability, 1968 (printout does not include the Journal)
Holloway and Heath, 1984 Ventilatory Changes in the Golden Hamster..., Laboratory Rat...., Comp. Biochem. Physiol., Vol. 77A, No 2, pp. 267-273
Bruggeman et al. 2007 Acid-base balance in chicken embryois...incubated under high CO2 concentrations... Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology 159:147-154
De Smit et al, 2006 Emryonic developmental plasticity of the chick: Increased CO2 ... Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A 145: 166-175
Bar-Ilan, Amir and Jacob Marder, Adaptations to Hypercapnic conditions in the Nutria..., Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Vol 75A, No 4, pp 603-608, 1983
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
Air Pollution Toxicology: APTI Course SI:300, Introduction to Air Pollution Toxicology, US EPA Air Pollution Training Institute, Environmental Research Center, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, Sept. 1993, web search 08/28/2010, original source: http://yosemite.epa.gov/
A Toxic Gas Testing Plan: A Gas Sampling Plan for Residential and Commercial buildings lists some of the toxic indoor gases for which we test, depending on the building complaint and building conditions
CCSP, 2008: Analyses of the effects of global change on human health and welfare and human systems. A Report by the U.S.
Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. [Gamble, J.L. (ed.), K.L. Ebi, F.G. Sussman,
T.J. Wilbanks, (Authors)]. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA. Web search 08/28/2010, original source: http://nepis.epa.gov/
Gas Exposure Hazard Levels: for Toxic Gas Exposure to Ammonia, Arsine, Arsenic, Bromine, Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Hydride, Ozone - allowable exposure levels and hazard levels
Health Effects of Carbon Dioxide - see "National Advisory Committee for Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) for Hazardous Substances; Proposed AEGL Values, Federal Register Document", http://www.epa.gov/EPA-TOX/2002/February/Day-15/t3774.htm note that these are proposed guidelines
GTSP, 2006: Carbon Dioxide Capture and Geologic Storage: A Core Element of a A Global Energy Technology Strategy to Address Climate Change (PDF, 37 pp., 6.05 MB, About PDF). April 2006, JJ Dooley et al. Global Energy Technology Strategy Program (GSTP)
IPCC, 2005: Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage, Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Metz, Bert, Davidson, Ogunlade, de Coninck, Heleen, Loos, Manuela, and Meyer, Leo (Eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, The Edinburgh Building Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge CB2 2RU England
Fluorine, Its Compounds, and Air Pollution,: a Bibliography with Abstracts, US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, December 1976. Web search 08/28/2010, original source: http://nepis.epa.gov. NOTE: because the EPA's original source of this document in PDF format is damaged we have created a text image file, converted to a new PDF for readability.
Formaldehyde: US EPA. UFFI (Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation) was previously considered a hazard (formaldehyde outgassing). Subsequent research virtually closed concern regarding this material; however formaldehyde appears to remain a health concern for sensitive individuals.
Nitrogen Oxides: Air Quality Criteria for Oxides of Nitrogen, Vol III of III, US EPA, EPA600/8-91/049cF, August 1993, web search 08/28/2010, original source: http://nepis.epa.gov [Large PDF 25MB] Key chapters in this document evaluate the latest scientific data on (a) health effects of NOx measured ill laboratory animals and exposed human populatIOns and (b) effects of NOx on agricultural crops, forests, and ecosystems, as well as (c) NOx effects on visibility and nonbiological materials. Other chapters describe the nature, sources, distribution, measurement, and concentratiOns of NOx m the environment These chapters were prepared and peer reviewed by experts from various state and Federal government offices, academia, and private industry for use by EPA to support decision makIng regarding potentIal risks to public health and the enVIronment Although the document IS not intended to be an exhaustIve literature reVIew, It IS intended to cover all the pertinent literature through early 1993
Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
Sampling for gases in air such as VOC's, MVOC's, toxic chemicals, and combustion products.
Unfortunately no single test or tool can detect all possible building contaminants. We use methods and equipment which can test for common contaminants. If the identity of a specific contaminant is known in advance we can also test for a very large number of specific contaminant gases in buildings.
We use gas sampling equipment provided by the two most reliable companies in the world, Draeger-Safety's detector-tubes and Drager accuro� bellows pump, the Gastec� cylinder pump and detector-tube system produced by Gastec or Sensidyne, and
we also use Sensidyne's Gilian air pump. For broad screening for combustibles and a number of other
toxic gases and for leak tracing we also use Amprobe's Tif8850. All of these instruments, their applications, and sensitivities (minimum detectable limits) for specific gases are described in our Gas Sampling Plan online document.
Radon Gas U.S. EPA Radon level maps, web search 2005, original source: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/zonemap/zmapp33.htm
"Table Z-1 Limits for Air Contaminants, 1910.1000 Table Z-1" OSHA standard for air contaminant limits (http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9992) - includes for CO2, Carbon dioxide.........| CAS No. 124-38-9 | 5000 ppm | 9000 mg/m3 limits for carbon dioxide as an air contaminant.
GASES, EXPOSURE, TESTING Toxic Gas Exposure Hazards and Test Protocols including links
to our toxic gas exposure screening and gas testing protocols.
Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.