Using Le Châtelier's Principle, explain why people suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning are given pure oxygen to breathe in order to reverse the poisoning?

Question

Nathen Duffy

Chemistry

21 May, 10:34

Using Le Châtelier's Principle, explain why people suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning are given pure oxygen to breathe in order to reverse the poisoning?

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Uriel Beck · Answer 1

See explanation

Explanation:

Carbon monoxide is toxic because it can successfully competes with oxygen for hemoglobin (Hb) sites according to the following equilibrium:

Hb (O₂) ₄ (aq) + 4CO (g) ⇄ Hb (CO) ₄ (aq) + 4O₂ (g)

Based on LeChatelier's Principle, CO poisoning can be reversed by applying O₂ (g) to victim. This addition of O₂ (g) increases system concentration of O₂ (g) in the equilibrium reaction thereby overloading the product side of the equilibrium forcing it to shift to the left, decomposing the carboxyhemoglobin (Hb (CO) ₄) and releasing the CO (g) and combining with O₂ (g) to form more Hb (O₂) ₄.