Narrator: This is Science Today. Carbon monoxide poisoning is particularly insidious because it's odorless and in small doses, the symptoms resulting from exposure are very similar to other, non life-threatening ailments. Michael Apte, a scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory who has developed personal carbon monoxide sensors, says the symptoms often resemble the flu.

Apte: Dizziness, nausea, disorientation, headache…so unfortunately, when we're exposed at that level, if we go to the doctor, we're often misdiagnosed as having the flu. It can be a vicious cycle where people are continually exposed for many, many, many days - entire seasons sometimes.

Narrator: Apte's personal sensor can be used in the residential setting, but for now, Apte sees it more as an occupational research tool.

Apte: Public health departments, the state or federal environmental protection agencies, scientists who are interested in public health issues. They could use the device to measure carbon monoxide exposures within the workplace.

Narrator: For Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.