WHAT IS NITROX
The term Nitrox refers to a gas mixture created by adding oxygen to the air we normally breathe. Nitrox therefore contains a lower percentage of nitrogen than atmospheric air.
Nitrox cylinder marking
The acronym EAN (Enriched Air Nitrox) characterise any mixture of oxygen and nitrogen in which the percentage of oxygen is higher than 21% (normal air is composed of 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen). The acronym EAN is usually followed by a number specifying the percentage of oxygen. EAN32 for example identifies a 32% maximum value of oxygen in the mixture; the remaining 68% will therefore be nitrogen.
| + OXYGEN - NITROGEN = LONGER DIVING TIME AND LESS RISKS! |
Nitrogen’s absorption by and accumulation in our body are the main causes of decompression sickness (DCS). Breathing a mixture containing a lower percentage of nitrogen results in a lower absorption which therefore results in extended bottom times within the safety curve or, at the same diving times, reduces the risk of DCS symptoms. Moreover, thanks to a lower absorption of nitrogen, decompression stop times will be shorter than those needed for normal air dives.
Advantages of Nitrox diving:
• Lower nitrogen accumulation
• Longer non-decompression times (you can spend a longer time diving)
• Shorter surface interval between successive dives
• Shorter decompression time
• Shorter desaturation time
• Lower risk of DCS (Decompression sickness)
Compared with air, diving with Nitrox therefore allows long dives and shorter surface intervals in the case of successive dives (or longer successive dives with the same surface intervals).
Nitrox allows for dives with the same bottom times calculated for Air, although the possibility of appearance of DCS symptoms is considerably reduced particularly in those subjects who are more at risk because of factors such as age, obesity, smoking habits, cold, dehydration, medicine-taking, etc.
Air/Nitrox Comparison
Compared with air diving, the use of Nitrox in leisure diving results in remarkably higher bottom times and drastically lower risks of DCS.
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Depth
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Air Table
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Ean32 Table
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Ean36 Table
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18 mt
|
56’
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95’
|
125’
|
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22 mt
|
37’
|
60’
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70’
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30 mt
|
20’
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30’
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35’
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34 mt
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14’
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20’
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-
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40 mt
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9’
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-
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-
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Nitrox for free
At the Maayafushi Diving Centre using Nitrox for diving does not incur in any extra charge!
 Scuba divers who already have a Nitrox licence can request Nitrox cylinders, whereas those who don’t can take part in a quick course to obtain the PADI certification and start diving with Nitrox immediately.
For further information, ask one of the diving instructors!
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