Formulas predicting carboxyhemoglobin resulting from carbon monoxide exposure

A microcomputer program in BASIC for predicting the percent carboxyhemoglobin of blood in men exposed to carbon monoxide is designed. Formulas used in this program are derived from the data reported by Forbes, Sargent and Roughton. A general formula previously published by the author expresses the mathematical relationship among the intensity of a stressor, the time of exposure, and the occurrence of a biological response. This formula is implemented in this study, using carbon monoxide as the specific stressor. Analysis of the reported and the computer-assisted predicted data has shown that the program for the constructed formulas is fairly accurate and reliable in expressing carboxyhemoglobin as a function of the air CO concentration and the time of exposure. The predictive formulas can determine the relationship among the carbon monoxide concentration in air, the time of exposure, and the percent carboxyhemoglobin level of blood, and may be of value in industry, in environmental protection and in medicine.