Medical Gases
Medical Oxygen
Description
Medical Oxygen is considered to be non-toxic at atmospheric pressure. It is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas.
Composition and Cylinder Size
- Medical oxygen is 99.5%
- Is supplied in B, C, CL, D, E and G size cylinders
Typical uses
- In anaesthesia medical oxygen functions as a carrier gas for the delivery of anaesthetic agents in the tissues of the body.
- In Respiratory therapy, medical oxygen is administered to increase its amount and thus decrease the amount of other gases circulating in the blood.
- Medical oxygen is also widely used in high altitude and underwater breathing, and hyperbaric chambers.
Main hazards
Medical oxygen is non-flammable but supports combustion. Medical oxygen enrichment of the atmosphere, even by a few percent, considerably increases the risk of fire. Materials not normally combustible in air may burn vigorously or even ignite without any apparent reason in enriched air.
Medical Air
Description
Air, the earth’s natual atmosphere, is a non-flammable, colourless and odourless mixture of gases in which nitrogen and oxygen predominate. The balance of less than 1% is comprised of the rare gases of helium, neon, argon, krypton and zenon.
Composition and Cylinder Size
- Medical air is comprised of nitrogen (78.1%), oxygen (20.9%) and argon (0.9%)
- Is supplied in C, D, E and G size cylinders
Typical uses
- Medical grades of air are used for human respiration in breathing apparatus and the dry grades may be used for driving surgical air tools.
Main hazards
- High pressure gas in cylinders.
- A source of oxygen and will support combustion.