Why does Carbon Dioxide(CO2) affect our health?

Hidden Dangers of Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a common gas in the air, produced through various processes. While it plays a critical role in many applications, high concentrations of CO₂ can be harmful to health. Managing CO₂ levels is crucial for health and safety.

CO₂ is vital for life on Earth, retaining heat from the sun. It is a non-flammable, colorless, and odorless gas that cannot be detected by human senses but can be measured with instruments. Low levels are safe, but high concentrations can cause dizziness, fatigue, and impaired focus, and in extreme cases, oxygen deprivation. Additionally, excessive CO₂ contributes to environmental issues like the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and making poorly ventilated spaces even more dangerous for human health.

Figure 1: Waking up feeling unrefreshed, with the bedroom atmosphere full of carbon dioxide.

High concentrations of CO₂ reduce cognitive abilities.

Have you ever felt tired, drowsy, or unfocused while sitting in a meeting room, workspace, car, or airplane, or woken up feeling unrefreshed? This could be due to increased CO₂ levels. When we breathe in too much CO₂, it dissolves in the blood, forming carbonic acid, which lowers the blood pH and makes it more acidic. This discomfort causes the body to increase breathing rates and blood pressure, and the kidneys produce more bicarbonate, leading to fatigue and reduced mental performance.

Figure 2: The increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentration from 280 ppm in the pre-industrial era to around 426 ppm today has caused a 0.1 decrease in blood pH (or a 30% increase in acidity of the blood). (Source: D. Robertson, 2006)