Carbon monoxide (CO) and related research

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 BARTLETT (ARCHITECTURE AT UCL) >> MSc EDE >> CBES >> URBAN POLLUTION HOME

 

This page, set up and run by Dr. Ben Croxford, (Last edited Sept 2011)

 

 

 

 

BACKGROUND

Carbon monoxide (CO) is toxic, colourless odourless gas. It is approximately the same density as air. It can kill at about 500ppm and levels shown on this graph. Graph apparently based on limited evidence from Sayers and Yant (1923) (Albert Donnay personal communication 2007). See also Wikipedia link about carbon monoxide

 

CO is known to affect humans by at least 100 pathways and is not the only measure of CO exposure. Various symptoms are linked to CO exposure, including multiple sensitivity to stimuli such as light, touch, odour, muscle pain. More info here http://www.mcsrr.org/

 

Long term exposure to levels of about 10-30 ppm seem to be linked to long term illness and also various other symptoms such as headaches, weakness, flu-like symptoms, blood clots and maybe others.

 

This page is an attempt to gather information about this subject. If you find this page and are interested or can add some information please send an email

 

World Health Organisation (WHO) Guideline levels for carbon monoxide

 

Carbon monoxide concentration (mg/m3)

Carbon monoxide concentration (ppm)

Duration

    100

87

for 15 min

    60

52

for 30 min

    30

26

for 1 h

    10

8.6

for 8 h  

CO AWARENESS WEEK

This is generally held at the start of winter, in November.

Details will normally be found via this website, http://www.covictim.org/

 

MORE CARBON MONOXIDE BACKGROUND

 

 About 30-50 deaths per year in the UK are due to accidental CO poisoning.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

 

It is less well documented that lower levels of CO exposure are linked to many, many symptoms, with survivors of CO poisoning exhibiting severe damage to brain and muscles. CO Support Charity

Lower levels still of CO have been linked to specific symptoms including headaches, nausea, fatigue, confusion, dizziness, muscle pain. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity – Albert Donnay

 

National Poisons Information Service,

Guy’s and St.Thomas’ Hospital Trust,

Medical Toxicology Unit,

Avonley Road,

London SE14 5ER

Alison.Jones@gstt.nhs.uk.

 

Potential sources of carbon monoxide exist in many homes, appliances powered by fossil fuels that have insufficient oxygen can generate carbon monoxide. These appliances include boilers, fires, water heaters and cookers. Well maintained, properly installed appliances are likely to produce none or very small amounts of carbon monoxide. Poorly maintained or installed appliances can generate lethal levels of carbon monoxide and very often are the cause of the accidental CO poisoning deaths that occur.

 

BE CARBON MONOXIDE AWARE – link to COCAA pages

(the Carbon Monoxide Consumer Awareness Alliance)

 

If you think you have one or more of the symptoms listed above and the symptoms are better when you are outside of the house you should get your gas appliances checked by a CORGI registered gas engineer. CORGI how to protect against CO

Also see this page from Carbon Monoxide Consumer Awareness Alliance (COCAA)

You may also want to get a carbon monoxide alarm.

Carbon monoxide alarm information from COGDEM

Buy a carbon monoxide alarm

 

 

 

RELEVANT RESEARCH PROJECTS

Winter 2007/8

CENSY: Prevalence of symptoms related to carbon monoxide (CO) exposure in the UK, funded by the CORGI Trust. November 2007 – ~April 2008. Similar to the Summer 2006 project. This time including a large telephone survey of 2500 householders to the South and East of London, with follow up visits by a gas engineer to about 400 homes. Interim details of this project to appear after February 2008.

Summer 2006

Gas Appliance Check Project funded by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

597 typical homes in East London boroughs and to the South and East of London had all their appliances checked. About 20% had problem gas appliance installations, with about 6% of all homes estimated to be at high risk of exposure to CO above WHO guideline levels.

Indications were found that occupants in homes assessed as being at high risk were up to 9 times as likely to experience one of the CO related neurological symptoms asked of occupants, see report for more details.

 Winter 2004/5

Neuropsychological Effects of Low Level Exposure to Indoor Carbon Monoxide, Department of Health funded.

270 vulnerable low income households were monitored in London Borough of Newham and surrounding boroughs. Again about 20% of homes were found to have levels of CO greater than WHO guidelines.

Winter 2002/3

Neuropsychological Effects of Low Level Exposure to Indoor Carbon Monoxide, Department of Health funded.

56 homes of vulnerable low income households were monitored for CO continuously for at least a week, across the UK around 20% were found to have CO concentrations above the WHO guidelines

Winter 1996/7

Winter 1997/8

Carbon Monoxide Concentrations and Ventilation Strategies

in Dwellings A Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) funded project under the Partners in Technology (PiT) Programme. We found CO concentrations varied in homes depending on behaviour and use of gas appliances, the type of ventilation was not important in determining CO concentration measured in kitchens. Full report available for download here.

 

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

BBC Radio Wales interview Eye on Wales, Carbon monoxide: the silent killer 18:00 29th January 2007

 

BBC South East Inside Out feature on carbon monoxide, Inside Out, 19:30 2nd February 2007

http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/nox.html (Only internet explorer with fast connection and Quicktime)

http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/nox2.html (Only internet explorer with slower connections and Quicktime)

 

Research quoted in House of Commons debate on Carbon Monoxide Poisoning by Colin Breed MP, Hansard 07/02/2007 Column 960 [Checked 9th February 2007]

 

 

 

There's an enormous ignorance of carbon monoxide poisoning. Professor John Henry, BBC SE Inside Out feature on CO

Gas fire picture from BBC SE Inside Out feature on CO.

 

CO LINKS

US EPA Indoor Air Quality page with a lot of information on CO http://www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html

CO Gas Safety Charity http://www.co-gassafety.co.uk

CO Support Charity
COGDEM (Council of Gas detection and environmental monitoring) Carbon Monoxide Task Group
Ed Walkers Carbon monoxide information blog for doctors, GP’s, general practitioners (NEW)
BBC News Item on Silent Killer
CO Headquarters Prof David Penney

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Page
Environmental Toxins Foundation

Carbon Monoxide dispersal in residential buildings paper
Carbon monoxide: The Forgotten Killer, UK Chief Medical Officers Letter to all GP’s
Information from the HSE about testing appliances using a flue gas analyser

Protocols for Measuring

Carbon Monoxide Indoors,

in Breath and in Vehicles from Albert Donnay click here for full document

 

 

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