An asphyxiant is an agent or event that induces suffocation, also known as suffocation. Asphyxiation can be extremely dangerous, as lack of oxygen will kill most animals within minutes. Even if suffocation doesn't kill, it can cause serious brain damage. Therefore, asphyxiants are an issue of concern. Since asphyxiants can take many forms, it's a great idea to become familiar with basic safety procedures designed to reduce the risk of asphyxiation, ranging from learning to swim to using proper ventilation in laboratories.
Most people are familiar with an asphyxiant in the form of an event, such as choking or suffocation. In both cases, the asphyxiant makes the body unable to take in oxygen, leading to oxygen starvation. If the victim is removed from the suffocating circumstances, he or she should recover very quickly, as neither incident has any health effects beyond suffocation.
In another sense, an asphyxiant can interfere with the body's ability to process and deliver oxygen. Carbon monoxide is an asphyxiant that works in this way, by binding to the body's red blood cells so they can't deliver needed oxygen to the rest of the body. In this case, the patient may need pure oxygen or other treatments to remove carbon monoxide from the blood, allowing normal oxygen circulation to return.
An asphyxiant can also cause suffocation by displacing oxygen in the environment. This type of asphyxiant takes the form of a gas such as helium, nitrogen, or argon. By themselves and in small quantities, these gases are not harmful; in fact, you are breathing these gases right now. However, when the concentrations of these gases get too high, they dilute oxygen levels to a dangerously low amount, and this will lead to suffocation.
Asphyxiating gases are a major problem because many of them are largely inert, and are also colorless and odorless. Therefore, people may not be aware that they are in danger until it is too late. When working with asphyxiating gases, a well-ventilated work space is essential. This is especially true with liquid nitrogen, which will quickly turn into gaseous nitrogen, overwhelming an environment very quickly. Excessive amounts of nitrogen will produce an oxygen-poor environment near the ground, so if someone is knocked unconscious and falls to the ground, their condition will quickly worsen.