Carbon dioxide why is it bad

High carbon dioxide levels can cause poor air quality and can even extinguish pilot lights on gas-powered appliances. A person's reaction to chemicals depends on several things, including individual health, heredity, previous exposure to chemicals including medicines, and personal habits such as smoking or drinking. Exposure to CO2 can produce a variety of health effects. These may include headaches, dizziness, restlessness, a tingling or pins or needles feeling, difficulty breathing, sweating, tiredness, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, coma, asphyxia, and convulsions.

Can't find what you're looking for? Contact us! Topics A-Z. Responsive Menu. Exposure Information In its solid form, carbon dioxide is used in fire extinguishers, in laboratories, and in theater and stage productions as dry ice to make fog. If the levels exceed 1, ppm, the furnace should be tuned to increase levels of fresh air coming into the building. If levels are above 2, ppm, this can be a serious condition that could warrant HVAC modification. We used to think that CO2 could only harm people at unrealistic concentrations, but this answer has started to change.

Carbon dioxide , also called CO2, is a colorless, odorless gas. You may have also seen carbon dioxide in its solid form through dry ice. Carbon dioxide molecules are very small, with only one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms forming the whole molecule. Outdoor CO2 levels tend to average around ppm , the highest it has been in thousands of years.

The levels indoors can increase far beyond that, upwards of ppm or even ppm. When talking about indoor CO2 levels, the main culprit is actually your body. As you breathe, your body takes in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. This released CO2 increases the concentration of CO2 in a closed room. Other sources of CO2 in a room include smoking, cooking using a gas or wood stove, and using fireplaces. Any open flame in your home is creating CO2. However, if you are in an area with exposure to fire or combustion, whether natural or man-made, CO2 levels in that area may become dangerously high.

CO2 is not poisonous; as a gas, CO2 itself will not hurt you. This is an important fact to remember, as carbon dioxide is a vital part of the environment.

The human breathing mechanism actual revolves around CO2, not oxygen. Without carbon dioxide, humans wouldn't be able to breathe. Carbon dioxide acts as a simple asphyxiant; in other words, as CO2 levels in a closed room rise, carbon dioxide replaces the oxygen your body needs.

Because carbon dioxide is an asphyxiant, it mostly affects your brain. At moderate CO2 levels, around ppm, there are observable effects on your thinking. These same levels also reduce concentration and focus, as well as create discomfort from breathing stuffy air.

According to the U. Environmental Protection Agency, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has gone up by 40 percent since As the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere increases, it can trigger significant changes in climate. The major threat from increased CO2 is the greenhouse effect. As a greenhouse gas, excessive CO2 creates a cover that traps the sun's heat energy in the atmospheric bubble, warming the planet and the oceans.

An increase in CO2 plays havoc with the Earth's climates by causing changes in weather patterns. Because each CO2 molecule might last for up to years, this carbon overload can have long-term consequences.

The increase in CO2 in the atmosphere has many side effects. Because plants absorb CO2 as part of their growth cycle, an increase in the gas can cause growth changes in plants. In a study by University of Illinois, scientists found that soybeans grown in a high-CO2 environment lost some of their natural defenses against pests. A study by Southwestern University suggests that increased CO2 reduces the protein content of many crops. In addition, high CO2 levels in the oceans can affect the growth of some marine life, making some species more vulnerable to predators.

Milton Kazmeyer has worked in the insurance, financial and manufacturing fields and also served as a federal contractor. He began his writing career in and now works full-time as a writer and transcriptionist.