27 Apr 20
We can assume that wearing a masks causes people to inhale more CO2 by breathing in air they exhale....correct? *If* this is the case:
For "essential" employees who have to work and wear masks during the epidemic, are they in any danger from CO2 inhalation? If they are a full-time employee who works 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, wouldn't inhaling carbon dioxide put their health at risk?
For clarity, I am NOT saying masks shouldn't be worn to protect from the virus. I'm just inquiring about possible unintended consequences of doing so.
27 Apr 20
Wearing N95 masks results in hypooxygenemia and hypercapnia which reduce working efficiency and the ability to make correct decision.
Medical staff are at increased risk of getting 'Severe acute respiratory syndrome'(SARS), and wearing N95 masks is highly recommended by experts worldwide. However, dizziness, headache, and short of breath are commonly experienced by the medical staff wearing N95 masks. The ability to make correct decision may be hampered, too. The purpose of the study was therefore to evaluate the physiological impact of N95 mask on medical staff.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00173017
28 Apr 20
@eladar saidThe study was on 20 people, it is over 15 years old and summarises:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00173017
Wearing N95 masks may have adverse physical effect on medical staff
Hold the front page!
29 Apr 20
1 edit
@wolfgang59 saidAs I stated, I was wondering about wearing masks for a typical full time job which is usually about 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This is even longer if you have to use public transportation. Working that amount of time with a mask for weeks seems like there should be some adverse affects to breathing in CO2 during that time.
@vivify
I thought that CO2 in the lungs was the trigger to breathe?
The small increase in CO2 should be harmless apart from
making the wearer pant a little. No way are CO2 levels wearing
a mask going to get to the levels Apollo13 guys had!
And before anyone says it, yes, I'm aware there's already hundreds of tons of CO2 in the air. But masks give more direct exposure to inhaling it.
@vivify saidright, and their automatic breathing response compensates by breathing in more air in and out per minute to keep their CO2 levels in their blood at the same normal level it would be without wearing a mask. This response to keep CO2 levels in the body stable is an example of what is called in biology a "homeostasis response".
We can assume that wearing a masks causes people to inhale more CO2 by breathing in air they exhale....correct?
Some relevant background reading here to see how I know that;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeostasis
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281514999_Neural_Control_of_Breathing_and_CO2_Homeostasis
As long as nothing interferes with that homeostasis response, such as too much effort to force air through the mask via breathing or some pre-existing underlining medical condition etc, there is no reason why a mask should increase a persons body CO2 levels to cause a problem.
29 Apr 20
1 edit
@humy saidBut what difference does that automatic breathing response make if you're still inhaling the CO2 that was exhaled? If a mask traps CO2, breathing in and out more times per minute would simply increase how much of it is being inhaled...right?
right, and their automatic breathing response compensates by breathing in more air in and out per minute to keep their CO2 levels in their blood at the same normal level it would be without wearing a mask. This response to keep CO2 levels in the body stable is an example of what is called in biology a "homeostasis response".
Some relevant background reading here to see how I ...[text shortened]... ion etc, there is no reason why a mask should increase a persons body CO2 levels to cause a problem.
30 Apr 20
@vivify saidI can't see one of those surgical masks being much of a problem.
But what difference does that automatic breathing response make if you're still inhaling the CO2 that was exhaled? If a mask traps CO2, breathing in and out more times per minute would simply increase how much of it is being inhaled...right?
30 Apr 20
@vivify saidIf you breathe in more CO2 then you breathe out more CO2.
But what difference does that automatic breathing response make if you're still inhaling the CO2 that was exhaled? If a mask traps CO2, breathing in and out more times per minute would simply increase how much of it is being inhaled...right?
The function of the lungs is to intake oxygen and get rid of CO2.
30 Apr 20
1 edit
Maybe this will clear up what I'm getting at:
https://www.thoughtco.com/carbon-dioxide-poisonous-607545
Too Much Carbon Dioxide Is Toxic
If you breathe high concentrations of carbon dioxide or re-breathe air (such as from a plastic bag or tent), you may be at risk for carbon dioxide intoxication or even carbon dioxide poisoning. Carbon dioxide intoxication and carbon dioxide poisoning are independent of oxygen concentration, so you may have enough oxygen present to support life, yet still suffer from the effects of rising carbon dioxide concentration in your blood and tissues.
30 Apr 20
@vivify saidSomething like 8+% CO2 is life threatening.
If you breathe high concentrations of carbon dioxide or re-breathe air (such as from a plastic bag or tent), you may be at risk for carbon dioxide intoxication or even carbon dioxide poisoning. Carbon dioxide intoxication and carbon dioxide poisoning are independent of oxygen concentration, so you may have enough oxygen present to support life, yet still suffer from the effects of rising carbon dioxide concentration in your blood and tissues.
Our exhaled breath is about 4% CO2.
30 Apr 20
1 edit
@wolfgang59 saidWhat about after an 8-hour shift, 5 days a week for several weeks? And if you're a doctor or nurse, that time is much longer given how many people are crowding hospitals right now.
Something like 8+% CO2 is life threatening.
Our exhaled breath is about 4% CO2.
30 Apr 20
9 edits
@vivify saidautomatic breathing response compensates by making you breath in more air in and out more times per minute so to make that greater inhalation of CO2 into the lungs make near enough no difference to the CO2 concentration in your blood, which is where it really counts.
But what difference does that automatic breathing response make if you're still inhaling the CO2 that was exhaled?
CO2 levels in the air only becomes an immediately problem if or when the CO2 levels in the air become so massively high that that automatic breathing response starts to be overwhelmed and cannot fully compensate without causing problems; something a mask shouldn't cause.
However, if a mask is poorly designed (like some are) so to significantly reduce ease of air flow, this might putting too much strain on the lung muscles and interfere with automatic breathing response.
30 Apr 20
@humy saidIn the link above it says:
automatic breathing response compensates by making you breath in more air in and out more times per minute so to make that greater inhalation of CO2 into the lungs make near enough no difference to the CO2 concentration in your blood, which is where it really counts.
CO2 levels in the air only becomes an immediately problem if or when the CO2 levels in the air become so massive ...[text shortened]... s might putting too much strain on the lung muscles and interfere with automatic breathing response.
"Carbon dioxide intoxication and carbon dioxide poisoning are independent of oxygen concentration, so you may have enough oxygen present to support life, yet still suffer from the effects of rising carbon dioxide concentration in your blood and tissues."
Do you disagree with this?