Blood analysis of a patient reveals an ususually high quantity of carboxyhaemoglobin content. Which of the following conclusions is most likely to be correct ?

Options

A. The patient has been inhaling plluted air containing unsually high content of carbon disulphide
B. The patient has been inhaling polluted air containing unusually high content of chloroform
C. The patient has been inhaling polluted air containing unsually high content of carbon dioxide
D. The patient has been inhaling polluted air containing unsually high content of carbon monoxide

Answer

D

Explanation

Inhalaltion of polluted air causes increases in CO in the blood of a person carbon monoxiode forms a stable compound with haemoglobin called carboxy haemogloinb as affinity of Hb for CO is 210 times greater than its affinity for `O_(2)`. In this form haemoglobin does not carry oxygen resulting in death due to hypoxia
`Hb + CO hArr HbCO`