Biochemical Decompression

[Ze_Abron]

Anyone heard of it? Sounds like a fascinating avenue of research.

Basically it is the use of specially engineered bacteria introduced into your gastrointestinal tract that work to munch up any and all nitrogen (or other diving gases) in your bloodstream. Apparently the US Navy are researching it.

Sounds BONKERS eh? I found a paper on it: http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/2421/11908695.pdf?sequence=1

What are your thoughts? Could this future technology make diving safer? Just take a pill before diving to lengthen NDL's?

 

[GrimSleeper]

Anyone heard of it? Sounds like a fascinating avenue of research.

Basically it is the use of specially engineered bacteria introduced into your gastrointestinal tract that work to munch up any and all nitrogen (or other diving gases) in your bloodstream. Apparently the US Navy are researching it.

Sounds BONKERS eh? I found a paper on it: http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/2421/11908695.pdf?sequence=1

What are your thoughts? Could this future technology make diving safer? Just take a pill before diving to lengthen NDL's?

The research paper you're referencing is about bacterial digestion of hydrogen and the decompression implications using hydrogen as part of a breathing mix. Very, very specialized stuff, there have been a few threads recently about hydrogen as a component of breathing gases, check them out or Google French commercial diving company Comex and their Hydra experiments some time ago.

Don't think any of this stuff is going to be hitting recreational (or, indeed, technical) diving anytime soon. The article, besides saying that nobody knows how much gas you would need the bacteria to eat to avoid DCS, also says that they're using Hydrogen because the technical challenges in making bacteria eat Nitrogen are too big.

 

[AfterDark]

Reminds me of a Sea Hunt episode.

 

[Ze_Abron]

The paper is about Hydrogen, but the paper also states that the same principles can be applied to Nitrogen. I know it is slightly 'Star Trek' but how cool is this approach? Really bringing different scientific fields together to solve an issue.

 

[ajduplessis]

Imagine diving with a "H Bomb" on you back. The risk and cost associated with Hydrogen is huge!!

 

[Bob DBF]

Imagine diving with a "H Bomb" on you back. The risk and cost associated with Hydrogen is huge!!

Don't forget the 100% O2 deco you would be slinging. Imagine trying to get buddies for that dive.



Bob
---------------------------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[nimoh]

Don't forget the 100% O2 deco you would be slinging. Imagine trying to get buddies for that dive.

Bob
---------------------------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

no need for the deco bottle, with bacteria munching the dissolved gas, all diving will be recreational.

The new PADI program highlights:

- quad tank setups for longer bottom time (NDL no longer a limiting factor)
- OW divers certified to 1000', but recommended only to go to 500'
- AOW divers certified to 1000'
- OW to include CESAs from 500'
- there will only be 1 dive site for the deep diver specialty -- the Marianas trench

 

[elan]

Along hose lines Lake Baikal will be the mecca of deep fresh water diving.
Lake Erie will be considered a "shallow local quarry" just to go splash. ...

no need for the deco bottle, with bacteria munching the dissolved gas, all diving will be recreational.

The new PADI program highlights:

- quad tank setups for longer bottom time (NDL no longer a limiting factor)
- OW divers certified to 1000', but recommended only to go to 500'
- AOW divers certified to 1000'
- OW to include CESAs from 500'
- there will only be 1 dive site for the deep diver specialty -- the Marianas trench

 

[jonnythan]

The problem with N2 vs H2 is that N2 is always there. H2 isn't.

 

[frogster84]

Imagine diving with a "H Bomb" on you back. The risk and cost associated with Hydrogen is huge!!

The cost is huge? Hydrogen is quite plentiful and could theoretically be produced right at the dive site...
Of course an hydrogen-oxygen explosion is nothing to laugh at but its not quite a h bomb (not even an A bomb)

Just imagine all the advantages: for a quick ascent you simply purge your octo and light the escaping gas (you'll scream automatically so you don't even have to worry about bursting your lungs)
Alternatively you could simply blow up your bc and float home - no more worries about missing/loosing your boat as long as you have a big enough bladder (even a wing might come in handy for new uses)
Perfect world from diving the deepest trenches straight up for a bit of skydiving...