Nitrogen - N2
Nitrogen - N2
This page brings together the main information on nitrogen (N2) such as its physical characteristics, its effects on health, the means of detecting it (N2 gas detector or rather O2 gas detector) as well as the appropriate respiratory protection equipment (self-contained breathing apparatus or air supply system).
Main characteristics of nitrogen (N2)
Due to its properties in liquid or gaseous state, nitrogen (N2) is used in a very large number of applications. It is used to create inert atmospheres in tanks and vats in order to protect the products they contain. In the field of art, it is used as a mild pesticide to asphyxiate living organisms in wood. Finally, being non-flammable, it is used in fire safety by mixing with carbon dioxide to extinguish fires.
| CASE | LIE / LSE | VME / VLE | IP | Density / Air | Filter / ARI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7727-37-9 | - | - | 15.58 eV | 0.97 | ARI |
Health effects of nitrogen
Unlike an asphyxiant gas, causing suffocation due to the gas replacing oxygen in the blood, nitrogen is an anoxic gas, which means that it does not replace oxygen in the blood but reduces its quantity , eventually leading to asphyxiation of the brain and dysfunction of the main organs. Present in breathable air at 78%, its reduction in the air is absolutely undetectable by the body, which makes it an extremely dangerous gas.
N2 (Nitrogen) gas detector - Detection of lack of oxygen in the air
Colorless and odorless, therefore absolutely undetectable by the body, only an N2 gas detector (oxygenometer) can accurately measure nitrogen concentrations (or rather the quantity of oxygen present in the air), we will therefore move towards oxygen detection in % volume.
For the calibration and gas testing of your fixed or portable gas detectors, nitrogen standard gas cylinders are available.
Respiratory protection Nitrogen (N2)
Constituting 78% of ambient air, the increase in the concentration of nitrogen in the air will cause the oxygen content to drop, making all filtering respiratory protection ineffective. We will therefore move towards an isolating breathing apparatus or an air supply system for long-term interventions.