A British teenager has had emergency surgery to remove her stomach after drinking a cocktail containing liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen is used for a variety of things, such as a coolant for computers, in medicine to remove unwanted skin, warts and pre-cancerous cells, and in cryogenics, where scientists study the effect of very cold temperatures on materials.
It has also become increasingly common at top restaurants as a method for instantly freezing food and drinks, or creating an impressive cloud of vapour or fog when exposed to air.
How dangerous is liquid nitrogen?
2 comment(s):
It's dangerous in gas form too. In the chemical industry, it's not uncommon for large storage vessels to be flushed with pure nitrogen gas during cleaning, product changes and so forth. If you go into one of these tanks, you'll breathe normally for a few breaths, then fall unconscious without warning, and then suffocate and die. I remember a story of an experienced engineer who just stuck his head in one such tank, presumably to look around and check the interior, and was found dead some time later. The coroner basically concluded that even though he was a highly experienced fellow who surely knew the dangers, he thought he could 'get away' with 'just a quick look', and it got him killed. So, 78% nitrogen, safe as houses; 100% nitrogen, insidious and deadly.
Thanks for the explanation, Simon.
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