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410 ppm is the current average CO2 level on the planet.Leaking pressurized CO2 tanks in enclosed areas can be dangerous for occupants - both from high levels of CO2 and from lower levels of oxygen (O2 displacement / Asphyxiation).CO2 poisoning is rare however scuba divers have to watch out for it (the bends).CO2 is non-flammable, with no explosive properties.In the atmosphere CO2 measures approximately 400 ppm (parts per million).CO2 is a natural byproduct of human and animal respiration, fermentation, chemical reactions, and the decomposition of plant and animal life.CO2 is a common gas in the atmosphere and is required for plant life.Others die in dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide) storage lockers used for temporary food storage.įor protection from CO2 in enclosed spaces, CO2Meter offers CO2 safety alarms. The direct effect is simple: too much carbon dioxide in an enclosed space – for example, in a submarine – can suffocate you long before the oxygen runs out.Īctually, dozens of people die every year as the result of leaky CO2 storage tanks attached to soda machines in bars and restaurants or in unventilated keg coolers when a beer line is left open. While not as deadly as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide can affect your health both directly and indirectly. For instance, industrial plants that produce hydrogen or ammonia from natural gases, are some of the largest commercial producers of carbon dioxide.Ĭarbon dioxide as a solid, is also known as "dry ice" as it coverts directly from a solid to a gas at -78 ☌ or above. Plants and trees depend on CO2 for life (they take in CO2 and give out oxygen).Ĭarbon dioxide can also be produced through industrial processes. It is a naturally occurring gas in earths atmosphere naturally produced by the decomposition of plant and animal life as well as respiration, which takes in oxygen and exhales CO2. The linear molecule of a carbon atom that is doubly bonded to two oxygen atoms, O=C=O. Table of Contents About Carbon DioxideĬarbon dioxide (CO2) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. But, before we get into how and why they are different, here's a brief understanding of where they each come from. This confusion leads some to assume the gases are both equally bad and dangerous. A search online for “CO2 detector” will provide results for “CO detectors.” Other stories are written about the dangers of CO2 and global climate change. The media often adds to this confusion because of their inability to properly identify the two gases. Countless stories are written about CO dangers from CO2 leaks. While they may sound the same they are completely different gases with different sources, chemical properties and dangers. The differences between carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are important, but the gases are often confused. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are two similarly sounding gases with different properties.
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