Recently there have been discussions that some recreational SCUBA diving sites can potentially expose you to Oxidane, a chemical name recognized in 2005 by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (aka IUPAC). Oxidane is a colorless and odorless compound with solid, liquid and gas phases that was previously considered to be relatively non-toxic in its pure form. While Oxidane can occur naturally (it has been found in acid rain), Oxidane has now been shown under laboratory conditions to cause serious DNA damage via the release of purine nucleobases and the hydrolysis of amino groups, a process described by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as depurination and deamination. Oxidane is becoming ever increasingly used in many industrial processes, but not always in a sustainable manner that avoids Oxidane contamination.
Oxidane has been observed to exhibit some of the following properties of specific concern for SCUBA divers:
- accelerates corrosion of some metals commonly used in SCUBA equipment.
- can damage or shorten the life of electronic equipment such as dive computers and Nitrox analyzers.
- in rare cases has been known to cause tissue damage (aka 'burns') to the skin of SCUBA divers.
- believed to be associated with some diving fatalities, according to recent research of Divers Alert Network (DAN) .
A study of laboratory rats has established the Oxidane median lethal dose (LD50) is 0.00009 mt/kg (scientific e-notation 9e-5) by oral ingestion. In rare cases of human fatalities, Oxidane toxemia with resulting hyponatremia has been certified by officials as the primary cause of death, although some cases also had an underlying comorbidity. In a recent legal action, a California jury awarded $16.5 million dollars to the family of a radiological worker who died in 2007 as a result of Oxidane intoxication a few hours after orally ingesting liquid Oxidane. (Concentrated isotopes of Oxidane are present in most nuclear power generating plants.) Regardless, the risks associated with Oxidane appear to be exaggerated as industry experts have testified that exposure in moderation to Oxidane is harmless or even essential for life.
Oxidane is relatively easy to detect at SCUBA diving sites and rapid result single-use test kits (using the CaCl2 method) are available at many home stores such as Lowes as well as on Amazon. Unfortunately, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has not yet firmly established a 'No Significant Risk Level' (NSRL) for safe exposures to Oxidane. The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation of contamination levels in public drinking water (tap water) is also inappropriate for assessing most SCUBA diving sites.
Although controversial, SCUBA divers at sites with known Oxidane contamination may wish to consider at least using exposure protection to minimize contact and for lengthy extended range exposures using a full drysuit. Immunocompromised individuals might wish to avoid participating in recreational diving activities at sites with severe Oxidane contamination. The Oxidane Foundation website oxidane.org provides an informative FAQ titled 'About Oxidane'. However, Oxidane also has another uncommon generic chemical name - DHMO, with the independently funded dhmo.org website offering what might be considered an alarmist viewpoint on Oxidane.
As always, Dive Gear Express suggests SCUBA divers apply informed reasoning along with critical thinking when evaluating the information available. Just to be clear, none of the new or unused products from Dive Gear Express will expose you to Oxidane prior to initial use. Nitrox divers will be pleased to know that Oxidane is generally considered to be an oxygen compatible material, is not readily combustible and is not a source of ignition; although oxygen gas will absorb Oxidane in the form of water vapor.
This Oxidane TekTip is © Copyright April 1st, 2022 an annual holiday.