Question
The flame of the natural gas in the home extinguished due to water overflowing from the pot. Three and a half hours later, family members began to show signs of fatigue and mild headaches. The baby, who was only 50 days old at the time, was found to be drowsy and had been sleeping more than usual, showing less vitality. Will this situation affect the baby’s future intelligence and health?
Answer
The main component of natural gas is methane. When a person inhales an excessive amount of methane, toxic gases can pass through the alveoli into the bloodstream, quickly binding with red blood cells to form carboxyhemoglobin, causing hemoglobin to lose its ability to transport oxygen, leading to anemia. At the same time, it can also suppress breathing, causing a series of central nervous system symptoms. If the methane concentration in the environment is high enough to cause a drop in oxygen levels, it may lead to asphyxiation, and in severe cases, death. If the methane content in the air reaches 25-30%, people may experience headaches, dizziness, nausea, lack of concentration, uncoordinated movement, weakness, and muscle weakness. If the methane content exceeds 45-50% or more, it may lead to difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, coma, and even asphyxiation due to severe hypoxia. If only a short-term intake occurs, there is no major problem. Moving to an area with fresh air immediately will alleviate symptoms quickly and will not cause any sequelae.