About 70 percent of the air is nitrogen gas. It is far more common than oxygen and most other gases today. Nitrogen is found in nature, and many businesses purchase it from compressed gas suppliers for commercial use. Nitrogen plays an important role in many lives and situations in the 21st Century. Here are some of the things you may not know about this abundant (and important) gas.
What is Nitrogen?
Nitrogen is a colorless and odorless gas. Components are found in many things like nitrous oxide, nitric acid, cyanide, ammonia, and many commercial and industrial propellants. It is present in the human body and makes up about four percent of the body’s total compounds.
Harmful or Beneficial
Whether nitrogen is natural or bought from compressed gas suppliers, it is both beneficial and harmful, depending on its use. For example, nitrous oxide is an excellent anesthetic. It helps people get through difficult dental procedures and is often used during surgery to relax patients. Nitroglycerin is part of the explosive TNT and contractors use it in excavation projects. It also makes excellent medicine for people with certain heart conditions and saves lives every day.
Illness
Nitrogen is responsible for the bends (decompression sickness). If you dive deep into water and come up too soon, small bubbles of nitrogen form in your blood. This can make you very sick and is sometimes fatal.
Helping to Feed the World
Some common crop fertilizers contain nitrogen purchased from compressed gas suppliers. However, it is also used in liquid and powder form to create a number of fertilizer products. This helps to produce more crops within a faster timeframe and contributes to the world’s food supply. From nitro powered racing cars to nitro beer (and many other things) nitrogen is making a big difference in many lives.