Analyzing tanks for CO?
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RandomGuy1
Contributor
I think I saw somewhere that the acceptable range for diving (in the US) was around 10ppm. I have set my personal limit at 3ppm for recreational diving and 0 for anything beyond that.
what are those numbers from?
OSHA limit is 50ppm for 8 hours
OSHA limit is 50ppm for 8 hours
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RandomGuy1
Contributor
The osha limit is for breathing at the surface. My understanding is limited, but due to the increased partial pressures at depth, it becomes much more dangerous.
fmerkel
Contributor
Hemoglobin has a high affinity for O2. It has an incredibly higher affinity for CO, AND IT WON'T LET IT GO!
At any given time the Hb (hemoglobin) in your arterial side blood is ~98% saturated with O2. More O2 and/or depth won't particularly change that as the red blood cells are maxed out.
If you have any CO in the tank as you dive deeper you are getting WAY MORE MOLECULES of CO in your lungs due to increased gas density, so it becomes increasingly competitive with O2 with CO being inherently more successful. Once a red blood cells is 'tied up' with CO, that one is out of commission for a long, long time. This is not even speculating on the absorption of CO in the plasma and then transferred to the cells, just like N2 would be. So that is there also and needs to be dealt with by the body during off gassing. It gets real ugly.
Depth great magnifies the problems associated with CO exposure.
At any given time the Hb (hemoglobin) in your arterial side blood is ~98% saturated with O2. More O2 and/or depth won't particularly change that as the red blood cells are maxed out.
If you have any CO in the tank as you dive deeper you are getting WAY MORE MOLECULES of CO in your lungs due to increased gas density, so it becomes increasingly competitive with O2 with CO being inherently more successful. Once a red blood cells is 'tied up' with CO, that one is out of commission for a long, long time. This is not even speculating on the absorption of CO in the plasma and then transferred to the cells, just like N2 would be. So that is there also and needs to be dealt with by the body during off gassing. It gets real ugly.
Depth great magnifies the problems associated with CO exposure.
Captain Swoop
Contributor
Captain Swoop
Contributor
At 90 feet CO becomes 4 times as effective bonding with Hemoglobin and blocking O2 uptake.
In some cases of CO poisoning while at depth, the high partial pressure of oxygen prevents symptoms from occurring until reaching the surface.
CO also blocks several of the critical enzymes in cell mitochondria that 'burn' energy, this directly kills the cells. Brain and heart cells are damaged by CO to a greater extent than other cells as they require a lot of oxygen, even low kevels of CO poisoning can leave serious and permanent injury.
In some cases of CO poisoning while at depth, the high partial pressure of oxygen prevents symptoms from occurring until reaching the surface.
CO also blocks several of the critical enzymes in cell mitochondria that 'burn' energy, this directly kills the cells. Brain and heart cells are damaged by CO to a greater extent than other cells as they require a lot of oxygen, even low kevels of CO poisoning can leave serious and permanent injury.
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10ppm limit for rec diving would make sense if it compounds with pressure. Would be around 40ppm equivalent at 30m depth.
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