On Wed, 26 May 2004 08:23:48 -0400, "Not Me" wrote:



Actually the variation in O2 levels as controlled by the computer is not
that great. Regardless it is the blood's affinity for CO that is the danger
and CO levels way lower than can be minimally produced by an internal
combustion engine are sufficient to kill after prolonged exposure. The key
is time. I should also mention that CO is heavier than O2 so the atmosphere
at the bottom of the rat hole will be have increasingly concentrated CO
levels. If all else fails the critter will have one h*ll of a head ache.


actually, carbon monoxide, at mol wt 28 (same as N2) is slightly
lighter than air (avg formula wt approx 30).

and there have been a number of documented human survivors from failed
CO suicide attempts because the engines shut down before the air in
the garage became lethal.

and cigarette smokers frequently tolerate levels of carboxy hemoglobin
that would debilitate folks who didn't smoke.

ck
--
country doc in louisiana
(no fancy sayings right now)