Hydrogen Gas Enables Safe Deep Sea Diving to 450 Meters
- Authors
- C. Gortan, H.G. Delauze
- Journal
- Offshore Technology Conference
- Year
- 1986
- DOI
- 10.4043/5261-MS
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- France
- Health Condition
- High Pressure Nervous Syndrome
- Body System
- Respiratory
TL;DR
A diving experiment showed that using hydrogen in the breathing mix allowed divers to safely work at depths of 450 meters without the usual nervous system issues or breathing difficulties.
Key Finding
A hydrogen-based breathing mixture (hydreliox) successfully enabled divers to work at 450 meters depth without the nervous system problems and breathing difficulties that limit traditional helium-oxygen diving.
Summary
Researchers tested a new breathing mixture containing hydrogen, helium, and oxygen (called hydreliox) with 6 professional divers in a simulated underwater environment at 450 meters depth. Traditional deep diving with helium alone causes problems at extreme depths: nervous system disorders that affect movement and difficulty breathing due to heavy gas mixtures. Hydrogen was added because it is lighter and may help prevent these problems. The experiment succeeded, and divers reported no nervous system symptoms and easier breathing compared to helium-only mixtures.
Practical Takeaway
This study is about professional deep-sea diving equipment, not hydrogen water for health purposes. While the results are promising for commercial diving operations, this research has no direct application to hydrogen water consumption by the general public. The study involved extreme occupational conditions that are not comparable to everyday health scenarios.
Abstract (excerpt)
ABSTRACT HYDRAV was performed in COMEX Marseille hyperbaric Research Center in May and June 1985.During this Experiment, 6 divers lived at a simulated depth of 450 meters in a hyperbaric atmosphere composed of hydrogen, helium and oxygen (hydreliox). Tradition deep diving with helium is limited…