Nitrox
Nitrox
Nitrox (pronounced: /ˈnaɪtrɒks/), also known as Enriched Air Nitrox (EAN), is a type of breathing gas that contains a higher percentage of oxygen than is found in normal atmospheric air.
Etymology
The term "Nitrox" is a portmanteau of the words "nitrogen" and "oxygen". It was first used in the 1950s by the U.S. Navy to describe a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen used in diving operations.
Composition
Nitrox is composed of oxygen and nitrogen, with the oxygen concentration typically ranging from 21% to 40%. The exact composition can vary depending on the specific application. For example, in scuba diving, Nitrox is often used with an oxygen concentration of 32% or 36% to reduce the risk of decompression sickness.
Usage
Nitrox is commonly used in scuba diving and underwater diving due to its ability to reduce the risk of decompression sickness, also known as "the bends". It is also used in hyperbaric medicine for treating various conditions such as carbon monoxide poisoning and decompression sickness.
Related Terms
- Decompression sickness: A condition caused by dissolved gases coming out of solution into bubbles inside the body on depressurisation.
- Oxygen toxicity: A condition resulting from the harmful effects of breathing molecular oxygen at increased partial pressures.
- Partial pressure: The pressure that would be exerted by one of the gases in a mixture if it occupied the same volume on its own.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Nitrox
- Wikipedia's article - Nitrox
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