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As far as I know, breathing air containing relatively high levels of CO2 may get you a headache.

I also know that CO2 level in the fruit bodies of peppers can reach levels as high as 3% at certain stages in development (Blasiak, 2006). So clearly it is possible in a natural setting to achieve these high level of CO2, at least in a micro-environment like around the locules of pepper seeds developing in its fruit.

So I was wondering, if we would have to breath air containing 3% CO2, would get a headache if we breath it in?

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  • $\begingroup$ Do you have the source? If not, it's hard to know what the number is referring to. $\endgroup$
    – jonsca
    Apr 18, 2015 at 8:45
  • $\begingroup$ The source: J. Blasiak et al., JASHS 131, 164 (2006). journal.ashspublications.org/content/131/1/164.short $\endgroup$
    – tothsa
    Apr 18, 2015 at 9:07
  • $\begingroup$ To close-voters - I edited the question during the close-vote process to reflect the linked article posted by OP. Please re-consider when voting to close when you your decision on the previous efforts of others as question is changed. $\endgroup$
    – AliceD ♦
    Apr 19, 2015 at 0:00
  • $\begingroup$ totsha - feel free to change my edits, or roll back when the edited question does not reflect your intended original question any longer. $\endgroup$
    – AliceD ♦
    Apr 19, 2015 at 0:02
  • $\begingroup$ Of course there is a natural setting with even more carbon dioxide: inside the alveoli in the lungs (5.3% carbon dioxide.) $\endgroup$
    – user73773
    Dec 26, 2022 at 21:12

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide#Toxicity

"In concentrations up to 1% (10,000 ppm), it will make some people feel drowsy.[83] Concentrations of 7% to 10% may cause suffocation, even in the presence of sufficient oxygen, manifesting as dizziness, headache, visual and hearing dysfunction, and unconsciousness within a few minutes to an hour. ... Occupational CO2 exposure limits have been set in the United States at 0.5% (5000 ppm) for an 8-hour period.[90] At this level of CO2, International Space Station crew experienced headaches, lethargy, mental slowness, emotional irritation, and sleep disruption." So according to this, yes you could breathe it, and yes, you would get a headache."

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    $\begingroup$ It would take a lot of peppers to get 8 hours worth of pepper air. $\endgroup$
    – user137
    Apr 18, 2015 at 18:33
  • $\begingroup$ Where there's a will there's a way! $\endgroup$
    – Inhibitor
    Apr 18, 2015 at 20:47

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