Often called the invisible killer, carbon monoxide is an odorless,
colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural
gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. In the home, heating
and cooking equipment that burn fuel are potential sources of carbon
monoxide. Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also
produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
- The dangers of CO exposure depend on a number of variables,
including the victim's health and activity level. Infants, pregnant
women, and people with physical conditions that limit their body's
ability to use oxygen (i.e. emphysema, asthma, heart disease) can be
more severely affected by lower concentrations of CO than healthy adults
would be.
- A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer
period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time.
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