• 0 to 1 ppm =Normal CO level in fresh air
and exhaled breath of healthy non-smokers
• 2 to 3 ppm =Avg. outdoor ambient CO
level associated with significant increases in
ER visits and hospitalizations for asthma and cardio-vascular
disease
• 5.5 ppm =Avg. outdoor ambient CO level
in third trimester of pregnancy associated
with significant
increase in low birth weight babies.
• 5 to15 ppm = CO level in exhaled breath
associated with many chronic diseases
• 9 ppm = Max 8-hour avg. outdoor ambient
CO level allowed by EPA
• 10 to 30 ppm = CO level in exhaled breath
of smokers more than one hour after smoking
• 30 ppm = Min. CO level allowed to be
displayed in home CO detectors by CPSC
• 35 ppm = Max 1-hour avg. outdoor ambient
CO level allowed by EPA,
also Max 8-hour avg workplace ambient CO level recommended by
NIOSH
• 50 ppm = Max 8-hour avg workplace ambient
CO level allowed by OSHA (highest on earth)
• 70 ppm = Min. CO level for home CO
detector alarm, but only if exceeded for 1 to 4 hours
• 100 to over 1000 ppm = CO level exhaled by
smokers while smoking
• 200 ppm = CO level at which NIOSH recommends
immediate evacuation of any workplace
• 400 ppm = Max CO level for home CO alarm,
but only if exceeded for 4 to 15 minutes
• 800 ppm = CO level allowed from gas ovens
& range tops (combined) by ANSI’s 1925 std
•1200 ppm = CO level NIOSH
considers “Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health”
•3000 ppm (0.3%) =
CO inhaled in DLCO test as part of standard lung function testing
•5000 to 15,000 ppm = CO level
in gas engine exhaust without working catalytic converter
•Pure CO (100 %) =
single inhalation is lethal; used by veterinarians to euthanize animals