If you inhale a high concentration of the gas, it will quickly become fatal. But even if you are exposed to a low concentration over a certain period of time, this can lead to severe physical damage and death. Since CO is similar in structure to the oxygen molecule O², the toxic gas binds to haemoglobin when it is absorbed through the respiratory tract and thus prevents the transport of oxygen through the blood. The affected person becomes unconscious and dies from lack of oxygen. Sick people, especially heart patients and unborn children, are more sensitive than healthy adults. The Berlin Socio-Economic Panel (BSEP) found that foetal development is strongly affected. Newborns in regions with high CO pollution are almost 300 grams lighter than others. According to the latest findings, carbon monoxide poisoning (technically carbon monoxide intoxication) also increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease by a factor of 8 to 9. The first symptoms of CO poisoning are nausea, headache, shortness of breath, dizziness and drowsiness. For further information, Wikipedia offers a detailed article on carbon monoxide intoxication, which is based on the following table on CO concentration and symptoms: