Carbon Dioxide: Characteristics, Uses and Dangers

He Carbon dioxide Is a colorless, odorless gas at atmospheric temperatures and pressures. It is a molecule made up of one carbon atom (C) and two oxygen atoms (O). It forms carbonic acid (a mild acid) when it dissolves in water. It is relatively non-toxic and non-combustible.

It is heavier than air, so it can cause choking when moving it. Under prolonged exposure to heat or fire your container can rupture violently and expel projectiles.

Carbon dioxide molecule

It is used to freeze food, to control chemical reactions and as a fire extinguishing agent.

  • Formula CO2
  • CAS number : 124-38-9
  • WILDEBEEST : 1013

2D structure

Carbon Dioxide: Characteristics, Uses and Dangers

3D structure

Carbon Dioxide: Characteristics, Uses and Dangers 1

characteristics

Physical and chemical properties

Molecular weight: 44.009 g / mol
Sublimation Point: -79 ° C
Solubility in water, ml / 100 ml at 20 ° C: 88
Vapor pressure, kPa at 20 ° C: 5720
Relative vapor density (air = 1): 1.5
Octanol / water partition coefficient as log Pow: 0.83

Carbon dioxide belongs to the group of chemically non-reactive substances (together with argon, helium, krypton, neon, nitrogen, sulfur hexafluoride, and xenon, for example).

Inflammability

Carbon dioxide, like the group of chemically non-reactive substances, is not flammable (although they may become so at very high temperatures).

Reactivity

Chemically non-reactive substances are considered non-reactive under typical ambient conditions (although they may react under relatively extreme circumstances or in catalysis). They are resistant to oxidation and reduction (except in extreme conditions).

When suspended in carbon dioxide (especially in the presence of strong oxidants such as peroxides) magnesium, lithium, potassium, sodium, zirconium, titanium, some magnesium and aluminum alloys, and heated aluminum, chromium and magnesium are Flammable and explosive.

The presence of carbon dioxide may cause violent decomposition in solutions of aluminum hydride in ether by heating the residue.

Hazards arising from the use of carbon dioxide in fire prevention and extinguishing systems from confined volumes of flammable air and vapors are currently being evaluated.

The risk associated with its use centers on the fact that large electrostatic discharges can be created to initiate the explosion.

Contact of liquid or solid carbon dioxide with very cold water may result in vigorous or violent boiling of the product and extremely rapid vaporization due to the large temperature differences involved.

If the water is hot, there is a possibility that an explosion of the liquid may occur due to"overheating". Pressures can reach dangerous levels if the liquid gas comes into contact with water in a closed container. Carbonic acid is formed weak in a non-hazardous reaction with water.

Toxicity

Chemically non-reactive substances are considered non-toxic (although the gaseous substances in this group may act as asphyxiants).

Prolonged inhalation of concentrations less than or equal to 5% carbon dioxide causes increased respiratory rate, headache, and subtle physiological changes.

However, exposure to higher concentrations may cause loss of consciousness and death.

Liquid or cold gas can cause frostbite injuries to the skin or burn-like eyes. Solid can cause burns from cold contact.

Applications

Uses of gaseous carbon dioxide. A large proportion (approximately 50%) of all recovered carbon dioxide is used at the point of production to make other chemicals of commercial importance, mainly urea and methanol.

Another important use of carbon dioxide near the source of the gas is in improved oil recovery.

The rest of the carbon dioxide generated around the world is converted to its liquid or solid form for use elsewhere, or it is vented to the atmosphere, since the transport of gaseous carbon dioxide is not economically viable.

Uses of solid carbon dioxide

Dry ice was originally the most important of the two non-gaseous forms of carbon dioxide.

Its use first became popular in the United States in the mid-1920s as a refrigerant for food preservation, and in the 1930s it became a major factor in the growth of the ice cream industry.

After World War II, changes in the design of the compressor and the availability of special low temperature steels allowed the carbon dioxide to liquefy on a large scale. Therefore, liquid carbon dioxide began to replace dry ice in many applications.

Uses of liquid carbon dioxide

The uses of liquid carbon dioxide are many. In some their chemical composition matters and in others they do not.

These include: use as an inert medium, to promote plant growth, as a means of heat transfer in nuclear power plants, as a refrigerant, uses based on the solubility of carbon dioxide, chemical uses and other uses.

Use as an inert medium

Carbon dioxide is used instead of an air atmosphere when the presence of air would cause undesirable effects.

In handling and transporting foodstuffs, oxidation (leading to loss of taste, or growth of bacteria) can be avoided by using carbon dioxide.

Use to promote plant growth

This technique is applied by fruit and vegetable producers, who introduce the gas into their greenhouses to give plants higher levels of carbon dioxide than normally present in the air. Plants respond with an increase in their rate of assimilation of carbon dioxide, and with an increase in production of about 15%.

Use as a means of heat transfer in nuclear power plants

Carbon dioxide is used in certain nuclear reactors as an intermediate heat transfer medium. It transfers heat from fission processes to steam or boiling water in heat exchangers.

Use as refrigerant

Liquid carbon dioxide is widely used to freeze food and also for storage and transportation.

Uses based on the solubility of carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide has a moderate solubility in water, and this property is used in the production of effervescent alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. This was the first major application of carbon dioxide. The use of carbon dioxide in the aerosol industry is steadily increasing.

Chemical Uses

In the production of molds and foundry cores, the chemical reaction between carbon dioxide and silica, used to join the grains of sand, is used.

Sodium salicylate, one of the intermediates in the manufacture of aspirin, is made by the reaction of carbon dioxide with sodium phenolate.

The carbonation of the softened waters is carried out using carbon dioxide to eliminate the precipitation of insoluble lime compounds.

Carbon dioxide is also used in the production of basic lead carbonate, sodium, potassium and ammonium carbonates and hydrogen carbonates.
It is used as a neutralizing agent in outsourcing operations in the textile industry because it is more convenient to use than sulfuric acid.

Other uses

Liquid carbon dioxide is used in a coal mining process, can be used to isolate certain aromas and fragrances, anesthesia of animals before slaughter, cryo-brand of animals, generation of fog for theatrical productions, The freezing of benign tumors and warts, lasers, the production of lubricating oil additives, tobacco processing, and pre-burial sanitation are examples of such uses.

Clinical Effects

Exposure to asphyxiants occurs mainly in industrial settings, occasionally in the context of natural or industrial disasters.

Simple asphyxiants include, among others, carbon dioxide (CO2), helium (He) and gaseous hydrocarbons (methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10)).

They act by displacing oxygen from the atmosphere, leading to a decrease in the partial pressure of alveolar oxygen and, consequently, to the Hypoxemia .

Hypoxemia produces a picture of initial euphoria, which may compromise the patient's ability to escape the toxic environment.

The dysfunction of the SNC And anaerobic metabolism indicate severe toxicity.

Light to moderate intoxication

Oxygen saturation may be below 90%, even in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients. Curses with decreased night vision, headache, nausea, compensatory increase of breathing and pulse.

Severe intoxication

The oxygen saturation can be 80% or less. There is decreased alertness, drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, euphoria, loss of memory, decreased visual acuity, cyanosis, loss of consciousness, dysrhythmias, myocardial ischemia, pulmonary edema, seizures and death.

Safety and Risks

Hazard statements of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) is an internationally agreed system, created by the United Nations designed to replace the various classification and labeling standards used in different countries through the use of globally consistent criteria United Nations, 2015).

The hazard classes (and their corresponding GHS chapter), the classification and labeling standards, and the recommendations for carbon dioxide are as follows (European Chemicals Agency, 2017, United Nations, 2015, PubChem, 2017):

Carbon Dioxide: Characteristics, Uses and Dangers 2 (United Nations, 2015, p.345). Carbon Dioxide: Characteristics, Uses and Dangers 3 (United Nations, 2015, p.346).

References

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  2. Anon, (2017). [Image] Retrieved from nih.gov.
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  4. Notified classification and labeling. Carbon dioxide. Recovered on January 16, 2017.
  5. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB). TOXNET. (2017). Carbon dioxide. Bethesda, MD, US: National Library of Medicine.
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  7. United Nations (2015). Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (SGA) Sixth Revised Edition. New York, USA: United Nations publication.
  8. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database. (2017). Carbon dioxide. Bethesda, MD, US: National Library of Medicine.
  9. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). CAMEO Chemicals. (2017). Reactive Group Datasheet. Not Chemically Reactive. Silver Spring, MD. EU.
  10. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). CAMEO Chemicals. (2017). Chemical Datasheet. Carbon dioxide. Silver Spring, MD. EU.
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  12. Wikipedia. (2017). Carbon dioxide. Retrieved January 17, 2017, from wikipedia.org.


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