The Difference Between CO and CO2
The gases CO and CO2 are commonly confused and that is easy to understand. Their names are similar and so is their elemental construction. They are both invisible, odorless gases that can be deadly when breathed in high concentrations. So what’s so different about them? CO2, or carbon dioxide, is found naturally found in our environment. In fact, your body is producing it right now as you breathe. It is not just a natural by-product of respiration; it is produced when wood or fossil fuels burn, making it one of the primary greenhouse gases.
Carbon dioxide in low concentrations is useful, certainly not always harmful. Dissolved into your favorite beverage, CO2 is what gives it fizz. You probably remember, too, that plants require carbon dioxide for their processes. They take it in and use it to produce oxygen. The good news is that poisoning from carbon dioxide is rare since it doesn’t typically build up quickly and is easily dispersed. Most deaths occur when people are trapped in confined spaces and use up all the oxygen – but these are not technically considered deaths from CO2. Faulty wiring and other equipment in homes can emit dangerous levels of CO2 however, so the threat should not be minimized and every home should be equipped with C02 detectors in primary living spaces and in or near the kitchen.
Carbon monoxide does not occur naturally and is never beneficial. It is primarily produced through inefficient combustion of wood, charcoal and fossil fuels. Your car’s engine produces CO but if it is equipped with a catalytic converter the CO is changed to CO2 before being emitted.
Carbon monoxide builds up in areas of homes when the exhaust gases of heating equipment are not properly vented. Blockages and leaks in vent pipes or chimneys are the most common ways that CO gets into the air that people breathe. More people die from C0 poisoning annually than from any other kind of poisoning. This tragedy can easily be prevented by making sure heating systems are in good working order and that several CO detectors are placed throughout every home and apartment.
For more detailed information on these two potentially deadly gases see our articles entitled, “What is Carbon Dioxide?” and “What is Carbon Monoxide?”
Related Data:
Above all else the number one way to protect you and your loved ones is by using co2 and co detectors in your home
Tagged with: carbon • CO • monoxide • poisoning
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