How to determine amount of carbon dioxide gas produced annually?

Question

Please help! I need to create an experimental procedure using materials found in a typical lab to determine the amount of carbon dioxide gas I produce annually (breathing, car pollution, etc.) in grams.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

I do not think that this is possible.

The Carbon dioxide content of your breath is a variable so even if you analyzed every exhale you could only do so for a limited time and certainly not when you were not in the lab.

As for Carbon dioxide produced by your automobile, this also changes so you would need to constantly measure it every time you drove.

How would you deal with fuel used for heating or CO2 possibly made getting your electrical supply?  Would you ignore the Carbon dioxide produced for any concrete products you used or relied upon during that year?

How about the CO2 released by the amount of soda (carbonated beverage) you consume?  Spray cans using Carbon dioxide?  Use any dry ice?

A respiratory therapist at a hospital could give you an idea about your exhalations.  EPA and auto manufacturers could give you a ball park figure of CO2 based upon the make and model of your car and the amount of gasoline you use annually.  You would have a very hard time taking measurements of CO2 uptake of Lithium hydroxide or using a CG-Mass spec for your own analysis.