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Silent Death: Why Do Hazardous Gases Like Nitrogen Silently Take Away Life?
Throughout human history, there have been many ways of death, and one of the most mysterious and deadly is silent suffocation. This mechanism of death usually results from the inhalation of physiologically inert gases such as nitrogen, which quietly kills in an oxygen-deficient environment. According to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, "Breathing in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere can have severe and immediate consequences, with just one or two puffs likely causing loss of consciousness." The deadly properties of the gas make it difficult for people to detect the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere. In such cases, life is in danger.
These physiologically inert gases, such as nitrogen and helium, are not toxic or painful, but they can directly affect the body's oxygen supply by reducing the oxygen concentration in the air.
Nitrogen asphyxiation not only occurs in industrial accidents, but is also used by some suicide victims. The colorless and odorless nature of nitrogen makes it impossible for people to sense the danger when it is inhaled, like an invisible veil of death. Between 1992 and 2002, at least 80 accidental deaths from nitrogen asphyxiation occurred in the United States. Behind these events lies the fear and helplessness of silent death.
Physiological effects of inert gases
When humans inhale inert gases such as nitrogen, they may become unconscious or even die due to lack of oxygen. Theoretically, the normal Earth's atmosphere contains about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. When the oxygen concentration in the gas is insufficient, the body cannot maintain necessary physiological functions. After just a few breaths of nitrogen, the body's oxygen concentration drops rapidly and unconsciousness can occur in less than a minute, meaning death is only minutes away.
There is a delicate balance between life and death in every breath a human takes. The moment oxygen is lost, life will end.
Some animals are more sensitive to low oxygen environments than humans. Inert gases such as argon or nitrogen in the atmosphere, in methods such as controlled atmosphere slaughter (CAK), have been used for painless slaughter and are seen as a more humane option for some animal killing methods. However, if carbon dioxide is used, it differs from inert gas asphyxiation in that high concentrations of carbon dioxide can cause fear and discomfort in some animals.
Accidents and Suicide
Accidental deaths from nitrogen occur from time to time, especially in environments involving large amounts of nitrogen. In 1963, a study showed that humans may experience temporary blurred vision and confusion in a low-oxygen environment, and that symptoms of hypoxia will appear quickly after inhaling inert gas. These incidents make us reflect on why so many suffocation incidents occur?
The truth about accidental suffocation is often hidden in an invisible safety blind spot. Does this remind us to pay more attention to gas safety?
In addition, issues such as ammonia, suicide and the death penalty have received increasing attention, especially nitrogen, which has been used as a novel method of execution. In Alabama, nitrogen asphyxiation has been authorized as a method of execution. Many observers questioned the effectiveness and humanity of this method, especially during the first execution, when the prisoners' violent struggles cast doubt on those present.
Conclusion
Silent death is not only a natural phenomenon, but also a major ethical issue in human society. Nitrogen, a malignant gas that quietly takes lives, reveals the contradiction between science and technology and ethics. We can't help but wonder, in the world of gas, how much of the fragility of life and its unexpected unpredictability can we control?
