Psa Medical oxygen is a critical component in healthcare, used to provide respiratory support to patients in various medical conditions, including surgeries and for treating respiratory ailments like pneumonia. Unlike atmospheric air, which contains a mixture of gasses, medical oxygen is highly purified to ensure safety and efficacy in medical treatments. It is important to understand how medical oxygen differs from both atmospheric air and industrial oxygen, as these differences have significant implications for their respective uses.
Table of Contents
Table Comparing Atmospheric Air, Medical Oxygen, and Industrial Oxygen
Oxygen Content
Atmospheric air contains approximately 20.9% oxygen, while the remainder is made up of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and other trace gasses. Psa Medical oxygen, however, is highly concentrated, typically ranging between 93% and 99.50% purity with a strict control over the residual gases governed by Pharmacopeia Norms worldwide. This high level of purity is crucial for medical applications where patients may require a precise and uncontaminated oxygen supply to manage critical conditions. Industrial oxygen, although it may also reach purity levels up to 99.5%, is not subject to the same stringent purity standards in controlling the concentration of residual gases as medical oxygen. Industrial oxygen can contain impurities that are acceptable in manufacturing processes but potentially harmful in medical use.
Process of Supply
Atmospheric air is naturally available and used for breathing, but in medical settings, oxygen is delivered through specialized equipment such as oxygen masks, nasal cannulas, and ventilators. The method of delivery in hospitals ensures that oxygen is provided at controlled rates and pressures, customized to the patient’s needs. Industrial oxygen is supplied through pipelines, similar to Medical oxygen, but it is designed for industrial processes such as welding, cutting, and chemical production, which require different handling and safety measures.
Regulation / Norms
Medical oxygen is strictly regulated by regulatory bodies like the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), European Pharmacopoeia, and Indian Pharmacopoeia for respective countries. These regulations ensure that the oxygen meets high standards for purity, packaging, and delivery, with strict limits on allowable contaminants. Industrial oxygen, on the other hand, does not have such stringent regulations, making it unsuitable for medical use. The lack of regulatory oversight in industrial oxygen production highlights the potential risks if it were mistakenly used in medical settings.
Production Process
Medical oxygen is produced through highly controlled processes such as cryogenic distillation or Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA). These methods are designed to eliminate contaminants and achieve the required purity levels for safe medical use. Cryogenic distillation involves cooling air to very low temperatures to liquefy and separate oxygen, while PSA uses adsorbent materials to filter out nitrogen, leaving behind concentrated oxygen. Industrial oxygen Generator may be produced using similar methods, but the processes are not as tightly controlled, particularly concerning the removal of contaminants, which is critical in medical applications.
Pressure
Atmospheric air exists at standard atmospheric pressure (0 Barg), whereas Medical oxygen is typically supplied at pressures around 4 Barg in pipeline to ensure it can be delivered effectively to patients. This higher pressure is necessary for consistent oxygen flow, especially in critical care settings such as ventilators, where precise oxygen delivery is essential. Industrial oxygen can be supplied at variable pressures, depending on the specific requirements of the industrial process, which highlights the different handling needs for medical versus industrial uses.
Flow
The flow of Medical oxygen is carefully controlled, usually ranging from 2 to 15 liters per minute (LPM), depending on the patient’s condition. For example, 2 LPM may be sufficient for a patient in a normal bed, while higher flow rates, up to 15 LPM, are required for ventilators. Industrial oxygen flow rates vary widely, depending on the application, and are generally not suitable for medical devices that require precise control to ensure patient safety.
Conclusion
Understanding the differences between Atmospheric air, Medical oxygen, and Industrial oxygen is crucial for ensuring their appropriate and safe use. Medical oxygen is produced and regulated to meet high standards of purity and safety, making it suitable for patient care. In contrast, industrial oxygen, although similar in some aspects, lacks the stringent controls necessary for medical applications and should never be used as a substitute.
| Read More:- Calculating the Total Amount of Oxygen Required in Hospitals |
References
1.IMA. (2024). Industrial Oxygen vs Medical Oxygen.
2.ResearchGate. (2024). Summary of the comparison of various oxygen production technologies.
