What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that is produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Carbon monoxide was first described in a scientific context by Arnaldus de Villa Nova, a Spanish doctor in the 11^th Century.  Carbon monoxide forms in preference to the more usual carbon dioxide when there is a reduced availability of oxygen present during the combustion process. In 1776, the French Chemist de Lassone created Carbon Monoxide by heating zinc oxide with coke. It has the molecular formula of CO. A Carbon Monoxide molecule consists of a carbon atom bonded to an oxygen atom. Carbon Monoxide was first identified as a compound containing carbon and oxygen by William Cumberland Cruikshank, an English chemist in 1800.  Carbon Monoxide is toxic. The toxic aspects of Carbon Monoxide gas was first investigated by the French physiologist Claude Bernard around 1846. Carbon Monoxide at high levels can kill a person in minutes

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that carbon monoxide poisoning claims nearly 500 lives, and causes more than 15,000 visits to hospital emergency departments annually. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning is the most common type of fatal poisoning in the United States. Exposure to Carbon Monoxide can cause damage to the central nervous system and the heart. Following a significant exposure to Carbon Monoxide an individual can suffer long-term effects that last a life time. Carbon Monoxide can also have severe effects on the fetus of a pregnant woman. Despite its serious toxic nature, Carbon Monoxide plays a highly useful role in modern technology, being a precursor for a whole host of products.