Dear hannah1234-ga;
Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question.
Any given concentration of oxygen that comes under higher atmospheric
pressure atmospheric is increased, thus the creating the potential for
toxicity when one begins to inhale a concentration of more than 21%.
Any excess oxygen inhaled is called "supplemental oxygen” and like
anything absorbed by the human body in excess a higher than normal
dose is toxic. People with healthy lungs only need the amount of
oxygen that normal atmospheric pressure allows. Anything above 21%
oxygen concentration is considered "supplemental oxygen."
Because of the increase in gas pressures at certain depths, people
tend to inhale a higher than normal oxygen PRESSURE. While the
percentage is actually the same (since compressed air is still 21%
oxygen at any depth) the pressure increases with depth and a higher
total pressure of oxygen that is inhaled, thus a high CONCENTRATION of
oxygen is also inhaled. The resulting “overdose” of oxygen is
sometimes toxic to the lungs and central nervous system. To avoid
this, oxygen is often mixed at a lower percentage (which would be
dangerous in a normal atmosphere) because the high ambient pressure
increases the intake to such a degree as to make it sufficient.
EFFECTS OF GAS PRESSURE AT DEPTH
http://www.mtsinai.org/pulmonary/books/scuba/gaspress.htm
Often, victims experience abnormal and acute symptoms oringinaling in
the central nervous system such a oxygen induced convulsions.
Normally, one of the most common threats is the resulting paralysis or
spasmodic reaction of the diaphragm that prevents the victim from
breathing at all – a kind of involuntary “breath-holding”. Basically
the victim goes unconscious, suffocates, and if untreated, dies.
Oxygen toxicity in itself is a dangerous affliction but to add threat
to danger is the risk of developing a potentially fatal embolism in
the decompression process. During the decompression period (usually in
a hyperbaric chamber) there is a risk entrapping alveolar gas, which
expands with decompression according to Boyle's Law. This can lead to
“pulmonary overinflation, permitting the passage of gas from the lung
to the pulmonary capillaries, the pulmonary vein, the left atrium, the
left ventricle, and the aorta for systemic distribution. A gaseous
embolus such as this could occlude coronary or cerebral arteries,
potentially killing the patient. Decompression should not resume until
convulsive behavior has ended and respiration is once again regular.”
TOXIC EFFECTS OF OXYGEN
http://www.eustatiantube.org/dcsbook/chp9.b.central.a.html
I hope you find that that my research exceeds your expectations. If
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near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga
INFORMATION SOURCES
TOXIC EFFECTS OF OXYGEN
http://www.eustatiantube.org/dcsbook/chp9.b.central.a.html
EFFECTS OF GAS PRESSURE AT DEPTH
http://www.mtsinai.org/pulmonary/books/scuba/gaspress.htm
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OXYGEN TOXICITY DEPTH
OXYGEN TOXIC DEPTH
EFFECTS OXYGEN TOXICITY
CAUSES OXYGEN TOXICITY
OXYGEN OVERDOSE |
