Which gas is mentioned as having a significantly strong bond to red blood cells compared to oxygen?

Carbon monoxide is recognized for its significantly strong bond to red blood cells compared to oxygen due to its ability to bind with hemoglobin, the protein within red blood cells that carries oxygen. Carbon monoxide competes with oxygen for the same binding sites on hemoglobin but does so with a much higher affinity—approximately 200 to 250 times greater than that of oxygen. This strong bonding results in the formation of carboxyhemoglobin, which impairs the blood's ability to transport oxygen throughout the body, leading to potentially severe physiological consequences.

The other gases mentioned do not share this particular characteristic. For instance, carbon dioxide does bind to hemoglobin but with a much weaker affinity than carbon monoxide. Nitrogen is inert in the body under normal circumstances and does not bind to hemoglobin in a way that competes with oxygen. Helium, being a light and non-reactive gas, also does not have any significant interaction with hemoglobin in comparison to either carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. Therefore, the answer highlighting carbon monoxide correctly identifies the gas with the significantly stronger bond to red blood cells.