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Q38 (NDA-I/2018) Science & Technology › Basic Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) › Human health disease Answer Verified

The Poisonous nature of Carbon monoxide (CO) is due to its

Result
Your answer: —  Â·  Correct: B
Explanation

The poisonous nature of carbon monoxide (CO) is primarily due to its ability to form a stable complex with haemoglobin, known as carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) [2]. CO has a significantly higher affinity for haemoglobin than oxygen—estimated to be 200 to 250 times greater [1]. When inhaled, CO binds strongly to the heme iron in haemoglobin, effectively displacing oxygen and reducing the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity [3]. This binding also shifts the oxygen-haemoglobin dissociation curve to the left, which hinders the release of any remaining bound oxygen to body tissues. This dual mechanism leads to cellular hypoxia, particularly affecting oxygen-sensitive organs like the brain and heart, and can be fatal [2]. While CO can reduce metal oxides and has a specific molecular structure involving sigma and pi bonds, these properties do not account for its physiological toxicity.

Sources

  1. [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430740/
  2. [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557888/
  3. [3] https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-021-01880-1
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