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Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide, also known as carbonic oxide, has the chemical formula CO and is a toxic, colorless, odorless, and flammable gas. The carbon and oxygen atoms are joined by a partial triple bond. A product of the incomplete conversion of carbon and carbon compounds to carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide is a constituent of emissions from internal combustion engines; it is produced by cars, furnaces, gas appliances, and coal fires. Carbon monoxide is soluble in ethanol and methanol and somewhat in water (0.0026 g/100 ml, 20ºC). Like hydrogen, carbon monoxide burns with a blue flame. Carbon monoxide was first identified by the English chemist William Cruikshank in 1800.

Effects on Humans

The French scientist Claude Bernard studied carbon monoxide’s toxicity in 1846. He noted that animal blood turned cherry red when exposed to the gas—an effect caused by red blood cells’ absorption of carbon monoxide in place of oxygen, leading to oxygen deprivation in bodily tissues. At concentrations as low as 400 ppm, inhalation of carbon monoxide can be lethal. Early indications of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea followed by coma and death. Exposure to high concentrations exceeding 12,000 ppm can be fatal in under three minutes. Because carbon monoxide is without colour or odour, it is hard to detect. Treatment of poisoning with artificial respiration, fresh air, and oxygen must be swift.

Applications

Carbon monoxide reacts with certain metals to produce volatile carbonyls. The process is used for the purification of metals, such as nickel. Carbon monoxide and hydrogen are used in the preparation of methanol, aldehydes, and certain alcohols, as well as fluid hydrocarbons. It reacts with water vapour to produce hydrogen and forms alkali formates with caustic alkalies.

CO and Climate Change

Scientific research shows that carbon monoxide contributes to global warming. Carbon monoxide reacts with atmospheric chemicals such as OH, which would otherwise decrease atmospheric concentrations of methane and tropospheric ozone. Canada's MOPITT instrument, launched in December 1999 onboard NASA's Terra satellite, the cornerstone of NASA’s EOS (Earth Observation System) program, measures carbon monoxide in the troposphere to improve our understanding of tropospheric transportation and reactions of chemicals.

Detection

Our databases include nearly 50 spectral absorption bands of carbon monoxide from 3 to 6418 cm^-1. The following figure shows a typical calculation of the spectral region 2030-2040 cm^-1 for a laboratory cell containing carbon monoxide at room temperature and pressure. To run calculations customized for your applications, get access to Genspect tools today!

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