Question

Carbon monoxide (CO), which is produced by internal combustion engines, land clearing, and cooking fires, blocks ___ uptake in blood by binding irreversibly to hemoglobin.

Answer 1

Carbon monoxide (CO) blocks oxygen uptake by irreversibly binding to hemoglobin, forming carboxyhemoglobin, and reducing oxygen transport in the blood. This can result in serious health effects, with pure 100 percent oxygen being the main treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Carbon monoxide (CO), which is produced by internal combustion engines, land clearing, and cooking fires, blocks oxygen uptake in blood by binding irreversibly to hemoglobin. CO competes with oxygen for the binding sites on hemoglobin, and due to its greater affinity, it forms carboxyhemoglobin. This substance impairs the blood's ability to carry oxygen, resulting in tissue hypoxia.

Carbon monoxide is a colourless and odourless gas that is produced during the incomplete burning of organic matter, such as from motor vehicles, heaters, or cooking equipment that run on carbon-based fuels. The exposure to CO can lead to symptoms like headaches, confusion, and nausea. In severe cases, it may result in brain damage or even death. The primary treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning involves the patient breathing pure 100 percent oxygen, which helps to displace the CO from the hemoglobin.

Answer 2

Carbon monoxide (CO) irreversibly blocks oxygen uptake in blood by binding to hemoglobin, interfering with oxygen transport. Treatment for CO poisoning includes administration of 100% pure oxygen to displace CO from hemoglobin.

Step-by-step explanation:

Carbon monoxide (CO), a byproduct of combustion in internal combustion engines, land clearing, and cooking fires, is a dangerous gas that blocks oxygen uptake in blood by binding irreversibly to hemoglobin. This binding prevents oxygen from attaching to hemoglobin, thus significantly reducing the blood's capacity to transport oxygen throughout the body. CO has a binding affinity to hemoglobin that is about 200 times greater than that of oxygen. In cases of carbon monoxide poisoning, treatment typically involves the administration of 100 percent pure oxygen, which helps to displace the carbon monoxide from hemoglobin, thereby restoring the blood's ability to carry oxygen.