Classification of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Symptoms
I - Mild
Headache, vomiting, tachycardia, no disturbances of consciousness
II - Moderate
Disturbances or loss of consciousness without other neurological symptoms, tachycardia, nocioceptive reflexes still intact
III - Severe
Loss of consciousness, intense muscular tonus, pathological neurological symptoms, tachycardia and tachypnea, circulatory and respiratory disturbances not observed
IV - Very Severe
Loss of consciousness, clinical signs of central nervous system damage, circulatory and respiratory disturbances
(From: Jain, K.K. 1990, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Warren H. Green, Inc., St. Louis, MO)
How is Carbon Monoxide produced?
Carbon monoxide is produced when carbon containing materials are burned with insufficient oxygen, or when the combustion mechanism is not adjusted properly, resulting in incomplete combustion. CO is produced from both man-made and natural sources.
Man-made sources of CO include:
- Incomplete combustion of gas, propane, kerosene.
- Transportation fuel combustion
- Automobile/Truck exhaust
- Airplane exhaust
- Smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.
- Defective heating (furnace, water heater) systems
- Defective cooking appliances
- Industrial manufacturing exhaust
- Burning waste
- Detonation of explosives
Natural sources of CO:
- Geophysical
- Marsh gases
- Forest fires
- Volcanic gases
- Natural gases in coal mines
- Biological
- Production by land animals
- Vegetation production during seed germination
- Marine brown algae or kelp
- Marine hydrozoans: (jellyfish)
If you or a loved one has been the victim of carbon monoxide poisoning in California, please contact a hazardous chemical attorney at Van Der Walde & Associates for a free consultation.
