Environmental Exposure to Carbonmonoxide and Symptoms of Its Toxicity among Urban Automobile Drivers

Abstract

Rapid urbanization leads to excess production of Carbonmonoxide from vehicle emissions which is a potential environmental toxin of air. Carbonmonoxide is a silent killer as toxicity symptoms and death occurs to exposed victims quietly and quickly. Occult CO poisoning can occur because of high level of exposure as in case of faulty automobile exhaust system among urban drivers. This study was aimed at exploring the exposure status of urban drivers to toxic effects of carbonmonoxide by breathanalysis.

A cross sectional observation of Breathanalysis of automobile drivers (n=101) for expired CO (eCO) was done using CO Breathanalyser (Vitalograph 29700). Data regarding age,  duration of exposure, hours spent in driving per day, other sources of exposure such as smoking status, history of passive smoking, exposure to coal fire in the household, place of work were obtained. Symptoms pertaining to CO exposure like headache, body pain, tiredness, and visual disturbances like irritation of eye,redness, neurological and preexisting medical condition were analyzed for correlation with eCO. Mean expired carbonmonoxide, eCO in breath was 2.45 ppm in the study group of urban drivers with mean age 39.96. In 87% of the drivers, eCO was 6ppm. 12.9% of drivers had more than 6 ppm of eCO. 22.8% of drivers exhibited eCO between 3-4 PPM. Analysis of symptoms revealed, tiredness (27%), eye symptoms like irritation and redness (10%), headache (20%), body pain (8%) & fatigue (7%). Significant correlation was observed with body pain (P = 0.04) and fatigue (P=0.03). In conclusion, urban drivers are regularly exposed to immense automobile vehicle exhaust which can inflict carbonmonoxide toxicity and impair working capacity.