7 February 2025 Bulletin

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Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO), also called carbonous oxide, is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It can be toxic to humans and animals when encountered in higher concentrations, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities and is thought to have some normal biological functions. However, in the atmosphere it is short lived and spatially variable, since it combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and ozone. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom, connected by a triple bond that consists of two covalent bonds as well as one dative covalent bond. It is produced from the partial oxidation of carbon-containing compounds; it forms when there is not enough oxygen to produce carbon dioxide (CO2). Worldwide, the largest source of carbon monoxide is natural in origin, due to photochemical reactions in the troposphere that generate about 5 x 1012 kilograms per year. Other natural sources of CO include volcanoes, forest fires, and other forms of combustion. [1,2]

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