Question

Carbon monoxide can kill a person because of it's extremely high affinity for

• A. haemoglobin
• B. phytochrome
• C. cytochrome
• D. none of these

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Carbon monoxide combines with $Hb$ far more readily than $O_2$ ($CO$ has about $200$ times greater affinity for $Hb$ as compared to $O_2$), forming a relatively stable compound carboxyhaemoglobin. This causes low supply of $O_2$ to the body cells leading to headache, nausea, dizziness, paralysis and even death.