When the phrase “air pollution” pops up anywhere, most people tend to limit it to the harmful gases that are suspended into the air due to various human activities.

Whether you are in an enclosed space or in the open, the air around is prone to poisonous elements such as Carbon monoxide.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) otherwise known as “the silent killer” is a poisonous, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. CO poisoning typically occurs from breathing it in at excessive levels. It causes severe damage in the body as it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain, and other vital organs of oxygen.

CO is produced by devices that burn fuels. Therefore, any fuel-burning appliance or machine in your home is a potential CO source. A commonly used machine in an average Nigerian home is the Generator. Given the epileptic situation of the country’s electricity supply, it is not uncommon to find generators in every household and business place.

However, the awareness on the dangers of inhaling this gas seems not to be enough as news of people getting killed by this toxic air is still being reported in the media. CO poisoning remains a major health issue that is underestimated in Nigeria.

The popular Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos, an information and Communication Technology hub, is one place many businessmen and traders have to rely on noisy and smoky generators to run their operations.

There is little left to the imagination on how CO poisoning is trivialised as every shop owner has generating sets, whether big or small.

Given the overpopulation of the tech hub, it is not hard to see that the air in that environment is as toxic as the word itself. When the electricity supply is cut, all shop owners power their generators to keep the business running.


“I don’t think most of the shop owners here realise how dangerous the smoke coming out of generators are. Look at that corner, you see how cramped up it is? I can bet you that all the shops there have ‘I better pass my neighbour’ generators. They will never hear. I once told a man who faced his generator’s exhaust pipe into his shop that it is bad for him to be inhaling that thing. His response was ‘one thing must kill a man’. The funny thing is even if someone here dies of inhaling that smoke, they still wouldn’t believe it. They would still think it is a spiritual attack from a competitor”, a shop owner who identified himself as Tochi revealed.

“The symptoms of CO poisoning commonly include headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain and flu-like symptoms. That is why it is easy to dismiss them as the effect of the gas poisoning because the symptoms I mentioned are also related to other illnesses. I think the government needs to do better on sensitising the citizens on the dangers of inhaling carbon monoxide and the kinds of machines that emit them. Since it is colourless and mostly mixes with other gases, it is difficult to tell which is which”, a medical doctor at Ifako Ijaiye General hospital said.

Generators should always be placed at least 20 feet away from apartments, shops or offices. It is also advised that the machines should be serviced regularly to reduce the exhaust fumes being emitted while they are being run.

https://www.makeitglobal.biz/carbon-monoxide-colourless-killer/

Very good read...educative
Please more people need to know this....e dangerous ooo

Just buy a carbon monoxide detector and you should be good to go.

Noted

Carbon monoxide is harmful when breathed because it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain, and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of it can overcome you in minutes without warning—causing you to lose consciousness and suffocate. ... CO poisoning can be reversed if caught in time.
Let us beware of this silent killer.

A very deadly killer just like one killer we have in aso rock that will soon kill everyone yet he's claiming integrity

Buhari is a Carbon monoxide.....argue with your data.

Computer village should have a central power. Which should be more economical and ecosystems friendly

Nice one

You forgot too mention the sure killer use of generator in enclosed space. Make sure you are in a well ventilated area when using generator or u may just gradually drift into the life hereafter without even knowing

Educative I must say, solar system is safer, clean,noiseless and stress less

Na "devil gas" be dat o.

Well done OP

Silent killer

It is very deceptive like Atiku.

Cheeee

How it where can I get it to send d dullarding back to D**** if u know u no

Buhari can rid Nigeria of this killer gas
vote buhari

My believe is in God. For many years I don't know what's called injection or tablet. Grace is all you need.

Jesus is Lord evermore

This is good stuff..... first in a very long time something informative and educative as this and not "massive cleavages" will hit the nairaland FP in an hour or so..

fast killer