Abstract
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas known since prehistoric
times when man first discovered fire. Accidental CO poisonings due
to incomplete combustion of organic materials used for making fire
or due to exposure to natural CO sources first reported by LEWIJ
(29) and others (28). Although the main source of CO is incomplete
burning of materials, several natural sources of CO in both biological
(1,2,32) and nonbiological origin (11) have also been identified.
As civilization developed and modern techniques spread over
larger areas, the sources of CO increased both around our occupational
and nonoccupational environment. In many countries the
incidence of acute CO intoxications stili take the second place (21)
while in some, the total number of deaths due to CO approaches the
number of deaths because of other chemicals (15).
The signs and symptoms of acute CO intoxication are well
known and they only appear with carboxyhemoglobin (COHb)
levels above 10 %. But these levels are seldom met in subjects exposed
to traffic exhaust or industrical CO sources occupationally. As clinical effects only depend upon the concentration of CO entering
the body, the sensitivity and reproducibility of the method used for
the determination of COHb levels below % 10 is very important (8,
14). There are at least 133 successful methods for the determination
of CO in blood (9) but only a few them are convenient for the environmental
and industrial application (3, 31).
In the first part of this research the standardization of COHb
by direct microspectrophotometric method of COMMINS and
LAWTHER (13) adapted by BUCHWALD (5), in our laboratory is
presented. The second part of the study is the application of the method
to the workers of the Factory of Electricity Gas, Ankara who
occupationally exposed to CO. CO in the working area was also determined
by infrared gas analyser to relate the concentration of atoccupationally
exposed to CO. CO in the working area was also determined
by infrared gas analyser to relate the concentration of atmospheric
CO with COHb levels.