Modeling carbon monoxide uptake during work.

Acute carbon monoxide poisoning is the result of a diminished capacity of the blood to transport oxygen and sustain a level of metabolic activity. The diminished capacity is expressed in terms of the carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level in the blood which is dependent upon the concentration of CO in the inhaled air. The rate of CO uptake or elimination is dependent upon the concentration of CO in the air as well as pulmonary diffusion capacity and alveolar ventilation which change with different metabolic rates. Coburn, Forster and Kane (CFK) developed a mathematical model to describe the uptake and elimination kinetics of CO in sedentary individuals. The CFK model was used in a mathematical simulation of CO uptake and elimination where the independent variables were inhaled CO concentration and metabolic rate. The metabolic rate was used to specify pulmonary diffusing capacity and alveolar ventilation. As the level of COHb increased the metabolic rate was decreased to a level compatible with the impaired oxygen transport. A physical fatigue limit was also included. The theoretical model was used to simulate conditions beyond the range of exposures permissible under experimental laboratory conditions.