Uses and Health Hazards from Occupational Exposure
The concentration of Nitrous Oxide (N2O) in the atmosphere has increased by approximately 20% over the last century compared to previous levels.
Around 60% is emitted from natural sources, while the remaining 40% results from human activities.
The goal in the UK and globally is to achieve Net Zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. It is widely known that carbon dioxide is a significant contributor to global warming, but in fact, Nitrous Oxide has a far greater GWP.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) accounts for approximately 6% of greenhouse gas emissions. It has a GWP of 273 times that of CO2 and a similar lifetime of 114 years.
Nitrous Oxide also contributes to increased health risks such as skin cancers, cataracts and impaired immune systems due to its links with the depletion of the ozone layer, which increases the amount of UV radiation.
Nitrous Oxide Emissions and How They Can Be Managed
Nitrous oxide emissions originate from agriculture and industry.
How can we reduce agricultural N2O emissions?
About 75% of all Nitrous oxide emissions are through agricultural land use. Dairy farming systems are a major contributor.
We can reduce agricultural emissions of N2O by the following:
- Nitrogen Fertilisers – Minimise fertiliser use on crops to prevent any excess from being consumed by the soil microbes, which convert ammonia to nitrate and then nitrogen with n2O as a by-product.
- Natural Fertilisers – Explore alternatives to nitrogen fertilisers such as clover while maintaining crop yields.
- Grasslands – Restrict grazing and use alternative feeds.
- Livestock Production – Use rotational grazing and manage manure.
How can we reduce industrial N2O emissions?
We can reduce N2O emissions from industrial activities by the following:
- Fossil Fuel and Solid Waste Combustionand Treatment of Wastewater during nitrification – Denitrification of the nitrogen in the form of urea, ammonia and proteins.
- Manage the Production of Chemicals – such as nitric acid in fertilisers and adipic acid in manufacturing plastics and textiles.
Popular Uses of Nitrous Oxide
N2O is used in many ways but must be monitored to mitigate emissions that can cause harm to the planet. Reliable monitoring also ensures that workers are not overexposed to the gas as in confined spaces, people may experience symptoms such as asphyxiation, infertility and spontaneous miscarriages.
In the UK, the OES for N2O is 100 ppm over an eight-hour time-weighted average.
Here are some of the typical uses of N2O:
Food Industry
- N2O is used as a preservative to displace O2 and discourage the growth of microorganisms in packs of refrigerated fish, fatty meats and vegetables.
- It is also used as a flavour enhancer, such as aerating chocolate to intensify the cocoa flavour.
- In hard boiled sweet production, N2O enables the ingress of oxygen into the sweet mixture.
- It is used as a propellant in canisters of whipped cream.
- It is used to chill and freeze foods rapidly.
- N2O is an agent for flour bleaching to provide a whiter, softer texture that increases volume when baked.
- As an inhibitor of ethylene production in fruit such as bananas to slow the ripening process. It also can prevent the decay of citrus fruits.
Other Industries
- N2O is a propellant in explosives, power steering fluids, fuel injector cleaners and gas treatments.
- N2O is used as a natural gas detection agent in pipelines.
- Nitrous oxide is used to oxidise exhaust gases in rockets and race cars and is an industrial propellant, foaming agent and detergent for automatic dishwashers.
Medicine
N2O is used extensively as an anaesthetic in A and E following trauma, obstetrics and palliative care.
Monitoring N2O
SmartGAS offers the ideal solution for N2O measurement with its reliable non-dispersive infrared absorption (NDIR) sensors for gas analysing. The sensors are highly stable, require little maintenance and have a long life. They guarantee reliable measurement.
At Omnio Sensors and Transmitters, we offer two models:
BASICEVO sensor for diffusion measurement and FLOW EVO sensor for flow measurement. They cover a measuring range of 0 to 500 ppm with a digital resolution of 1 ppm and, like all smartGAS gas sensors, are pre-calibrated and delivered ready for operation.
Contact our team at Omni Sensors and Transmitters to learn more about our extensive range.
