Carbon Dioxide & Life

Step by step guidelines to improve life with with current CO2 level variations.

Keeling discovered that CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere cycles daily. CO2 in air increases at night when plants shut down photosynthesis for the day, and then hits a low in the sunny afternoon as the plants go full steam turning CO2 into vegetables. A  hemispherical seasonal cycle of CO2, low in summer and peaking in the winter for the same reason CO2 peaks at night: no greens at work to eat it. But a third trend discovered that that the lowest level of CO2, no matter where or when, never sink beyond 315 ppm. This is the the ambient, global CO2 level. And he noticed that every year it rose a little higher. By now, it's 350 ppm. Recently, other researchers have spotted in fourth trend: the seasonal cycle is increasing in amplitude. It is as if the planet breathes yearly, summer (inhale) to winter (exhale), and its breath is getting deeper and deeper. Is Gaia hyperventilating or gasping? Carbon dioxide is essential for internal respiration in a human body. Internal respiration is a process, by which oxygen is transported to body tissues and carbon dioxide is carried away from them. Carbon dioxide is a guardian of the pH of the blood, which is essential for survival. The buffer system in which carbon dioxide plays an important role is called the carbonate buffer. It is made up of bicarbonate ions and dissolved carbon dioxide, with carbonic acid. The carbonic acid can neutralize hydroxide ions, which would increase the pH of the blood when added. The bicarbonate ion can neutralize hydrogen ions, which would cause a decrease in the pH of the blood when added. Both increasing and decreasing pH is life threatening. Apart from being an essential buffer in the human system, carbon dioxide is also known to cause health effects when the concentrations exceed a certain limit. The primary health dangers of carbon dioxide are: - Asphyxiation. Caused by the release of carbon dioxide in a confined or unventilated area. This can lower the concentration of oxygen to a level that is immediately dangerous for human health.   Volunteers exposed to 3.3% or 5.4% CO2 for 15 minutes experienced increased depth of breathing. At 7.5%, a feeling of an inability to breathe (dyspnea), increased pulse rate, headache, dizziness, sweating, restlessness, disorientation, and visual distortion developed. Twenty-minute exposures to 6.5 or 7.5% decreased mental performance. Irritability and discomfort were reported with exposure to 6.5% for approximately 70 minutes. Exposure to 6% for several minutes, or 30% for 20-30 seconds, has affected the heart, as evidenced by altered electrocardiograms. Workers briefly exposed to very high concentrations showed damage to the retina, sensitivity to light (photophobia), abnormal eye movements, constriction of visual fields, and enlargement of blind spots. Exposure to up to 3.0% for over 15 hours, for six days, resulted in decreased night vision and colour sensitivity. Exposure to 10% for 1.5 minutes has caused eye flickering, excitation and increased muscle activity and twitching. Concentrations greater than 10% have caused difficulty in breathing, impaired hearing, nausea, vomiting, a strangling sensation, sweating, stupor within several minutes and loss of consciousness within 15 minutes. Exposure to 30% has quickly resulted in unconsciousness and convulsions. Several deaths have been attributed to exposure to concentrations greater than 20%. Effects of CO2 can become more pronounced upon physical exertion, such as heavy work. Since carbon dioxide is a product of human or animal respiration (or breathing), it is found almost everywhere. Measurable amounts are seen in lecture halls, homes, schoolrooms, office buildings, and submarines. CO2 has been used: In the carbonation of beverages In chemical processing As a food preservative As an inert "blanket" to fight fire For low temperature testing of aviation, missile and electronic components (in liquid form) Are there health problems that can be caused by carbon dioxide? There are many factors that determine if one might get sick due to exposure to carbon dioxide. These include: The concentration and amount of carbon dioxide: Carbon dioxide is naturally present in the atmosphere at levels of about 0.035%. Exposure of healthy individuals for prolonged periods of 1.5% CO2 will cause mild problems while exposure to 7-10% CO2 will produce unconsciousness within a few minutes.1 That is because at higher concentrations, CO2 can displace the oxygen in the air. Because of this, CO2 is called a "simple asphyxiant." Personal characteristics such as age, gender, weight, general health status and general activities. For example if somebody suffers from a chronic lung condition in which they have higher amounts of CO2 in the body than most people do, they may feel the effects more. In addition, the effects of CO2 can become more pronounced upon physical exertion, such as heavy work. Is a person exposed to just carbon dioxide or is it a variety of pollutants? Animal studies indicate that a combination of CO2 and carbon monoxide causes an increase in the rate of carbon monoxide-binding to hemoglobin. Health problems caused by carbon dioxide are usually acute, which means they occur immediately or within a few days of exposure. Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide can result in1: Health problem (concentration) Headaches (7.5%) Dizziness (7.5%) Restlessness (7.5%) Feeling of an inability to breathe (7.5%) Sweating (7.5%) Malaise (vague feeling of discomfort) (7.5%) Increased heart rate (7.5%) Increased blood pressure (7.5%) Visual distortion (7.5%) Impaired hearing (10%). Nausea/vomiting (10%) Loss of consciousness (10%) Coma (30%) Convulsions (30%) Death from asphyxiation (30%, though several deaths have been reported at concentrations greater than 20%). With asphyxiation, body cells do not get the oxygen they need to live. How can exposure to carbon dioxide be decreased? Have areas where people are congregating be adequately ventilated. Human occupants produce carbon dioxide, water vapor, and contaminants including particulate matter, biological aerosols, and volatile organic compounds. ASHRAE states that "comfort (odor) criteria with respect to human bioeffluents are likely to be satisfied if the ventilation results in indoor CO2 concentrations less than 700 ppm above the outdoor air concentration. CO2 concentrations in acceptable outdoor air typically range from 300 to 500 ppm.2" This level keeps body odors down to where at least 80 percent of visitors entering the room will not notice them. Keeping levels less than 700 ppm above the outdoor air concentration is an indication that sufficient outdoor air is being brought into the environment and will help control other pollutants at acceptable levels. IAQ research has shown that building occupant complaints will be observed as the indoor concentration of carbon dioxide increases about 700-800 ppm; the carbon dioxide level is a surrogate indicator that other pollutants from indoor sources may exist at irritating and observable levels. Generally, the CO2 concentrations should be <=0.5%. This level should not adversely affect persons with normal health.

 

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