CO2 and O2 concentrations in integral motorcycle helmets : cause for alarm?
- The average CO2 concentrations relevant to a motorcyclist wearing an integral helmet were measured twenty years ago and found to be alarmingly high. The present study examined gas concentrations typically inhaled by a motorcyclist. Average concentrations of CO2 for persons (n=4) wearing integral motorcycle helmets were measured in the laboratory and the field to facilitate comparison to previous work, and similarly high average concentrations were found: above 2% when stationary, well below 1% for speeds of 50km/h or more. Detailed measurements of the time-dependent CO2 concentrations during normal inhalation showed levels of about half of the corresponding average concentrations, including 1% at standstill, though higher concentrations (4% or more) are inhaled at the beginning of each breath. Opening the visor at standstill lowered the average inhaled concentration only to about 0.8%. The oxygen deficiency is equal to the CO2 concentration, and could also contribute negatively to motorcyclist cognitive abilities.
Author: | P. A. Brühwiler, R. Stämpfli, R. Huber, M. Camenzind |
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URN: | urn:nbn:de:hbz:opus-bast-4259 |
Document Type: | Conference Proceeding |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2012/08/01 |
Year of first publication: | 2005 |
Contributing corporation: | Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt |
Release Date: | 2012/08/01 |
Tag: | Kohlendioxid; Konferenz; Konzentration; Sauerstoff; Schutzhelm Carbon dioxide; Concentration (chem); Conference; Crash helmet; Oxygen |
Source: | 1st International Conference on ESAR "Expert Symposium on Accident Research", S. 184-188 |
Institutes: | Sonstige / Sonstige |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | 6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit |
collections: | BASt-Beiträge / ITRD Sachgebiete / 83 Unfall und Mensch |
BASt-Beiträge / Tagungen / International Conference on ESAR / 1st International Conference on ESAR | |
Licence (German): | BASt / Link zum Urhebergesetz |