Biological effects of short, high-level exposure to gases: carbon monoxide. Phase report, May 1979-May 1980

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:5886328

Nightingale, T E

This report presents an analysis and synthesis of the available literature describing health and performance effects of exposure to carbon monoxide (CO). The US Army's concern is with high-level, short-term exposures that may exceed present threshold limit values of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (50 ppm as a TWA and a ceiling of 400 ppm for 15 minutes). The organs primarily affected by exposure to CO are the heart and brain, with effects caused by impaired oxygen delivery. During brief exposures to concentrations of up to 35,600 ppm, there was an electrocardiographic change suggestive of myocardial ischemia within 15 seconds after the start of exposure, although there were no changes in heart rate, blood pressure or blood chemistry values in young healthy subjects. The first subjective sign of CO toxicity will probably be a headache followed by a awareness of a pounding heartbeat.

• Research Organization: Enviro Control, Inc., Rockville, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5886328
• Report Number(s): AD-A-094503
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACUTE EXPOSURE
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BLOOD PRESSURE
BODY
BRAIN
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHALCOGENIDES
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
FLUIDS
GASES
HEART
LABORATORY ANIMALS
MAMMALS
MAN
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRIMATES
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES