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How to Measure Co2 Levels Caused by Mental Stress

In this fast-paced life and with the introduction of technological advancements, people's lives should be simpler, but it seems that stress levels have never been higher than they are now. Because of this, more people are prone to mental and bodily illnesses. To avoid the pitfalls of mental stress, there are two different ways to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) levels caused by mental stress.

Things You'll Need

  • Antiseptic
  • Elastic band
  • Sterilized needle
  • Vial for blood collection
  • Cotton
  • Beaker
  • Bromothymol blue solution
  • Drinking straw
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Instructions

  1. Blood Test for CO2 Levels

    • 1

      Advise the patient to avoid taking any drugs or medications. Otherwise, it may interfere with the results of the test.

    • 2

      Lay the patient's arm on a flat surface and try to feel for the vein. Look for a good spot in the inner elbow or at the back of the hand.

    • 3

      Use an antiseptic to clean the portion where you want to extract blood from.

    • 4

      Wrap an elastic band around the upper area of the arm to have more pressure and to see the swelling vein clearly.

    • 5

      Insert a needle into the vein in a gentle manner and efficiently extract the blood from the vein into the vial where the needle is attached.

    • 6

      Remove the needle and cover the location of the puncture with cotton and antiseptic to stop the bleeding.

    • 7

      Send the vial to the lab for testing. The normal carbon dioxide level in the body is between 35 and 45 millimeters Mercury (mmHg). If the results of the lab test show that the CO2 level is above normal, it is an indication that the mental stress of the patient is high.

    Measure CO2 with Bromothymol Blue Testing

    • 8

      Fill half or two-thirds of the beaker with water.

    • 9

      Place about seven drops of Bromothymol Blue (BTB) in the beaker. See that the color is light blue, which means that the solution is pH balanced.

    • 10

      Place a straw in the beaker and blow bubbles in it using your mouth (or instruct patient to do so).

    • 11

      Watch to see if the color turns from blue to light green to yellow. If light green, the solution indicates that it is a little acidic with the introduction of CO2 from the breath. If yellow, it indicates that the solution has more CO2 which is indirectly proportional to the pH level. Meaning, the pH level is low and acidic. If the color is yellow, it means that the CO2 level is high which is directly proportional to mental stress.

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