4. CO measurement

4.1 Properties of carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) emissions result from the incomplete combustion of organic matter, particularly fossil fuels (gas, hydrocarbons, coal). This highly toxic gas is all the more dangerous for being odorless. It is absorbed through the lungs and binds to the blood's hemoglobin, blocking the transport and release of oxygen to the body's various tissues. In France, CO poisoning, resulting from the malfunction or faulty installation of domestic combustion appliances, is responsible for several thousand hospitalizations every year, and is the leading cause of accidental death by toxic substances. Fortunately, CO concentrations in the urban atmosphere are now generally below acute toxicity thresholds. However, even if the trend in levels has been rather...