Inhalants: Nitrous Oxide

1. Inhalants: Nitrous Oxide Common Name: Laughing Gas Scientific Name: N20 By: Maritza Ramirez Science 4A 12/2/09

2. History In the 1800’s when no one thought to do surgical procedures with Nitrous Oxide until the 19th Century, the gas was used with the idea for a cheap buzz. It all began in the 1790’s with a man named Humphrey Davy who thought of the idea of marketing Nitrous Oxide after testing the gas on himself and some friends and discovering that the laughing gas dulled the sensation of pain.

3. Manufacturing Process Nitrous Oxide is produced by heating ammonium nitrate to a temperature of 250 Degree Celsius. It produces nitrous oxide gas. The molten ammonium nitrate is transferred into a combustible material where it is decomposed as:NH4NO3 --------- N2O + 2H2OOur nitrous oxide plants eliminates acidic, basic and other impurity gases, they are washed successfully in the solutions of caustic soda, acid and other chemicals. The gas containing some nitrogen is stored in the gas balloons. This gas is compressed, dried refrigerated and then stored in the high pressure storage vessels. The liquid nitrogen is drawn by weight. In a low pressure nitrous oxide plant, after refrigeration the gas is stored and then analyzed in the laboratory from each batch. All this is to ensure that the quality of the final product and proper records are duly maintained.

4. Other Uses Other than using this gas as a way to get high it can now also be used in things like food such as whipped cream and cooking sprays as a food additive, medicine like anesthesia in dentistry to kill pain, vehicle racing to allow the engine to burn more fuel and air resulting in a faster speed and also in rocket motors as an oxidizer.

5. Formula

6. How it works in the body Once it is inhaled, the gas enters the bloodstream through the lungs. The blood then carries it throughout the rest of the body. It reaches the brain quickly giving off a short high that lasts only a few minutes, this may get abusers to inhale the gas many times over the course of a few hours which can be fatal.

7. Affects On Brain Nitrous Oxide vapors contain chemicals that breakdown the brain’s myelin. Once the myelin breaks down, nerve cells will no longer be able to transmit messages. Also if the gas gets into the brain’s cerebellum (which controls movement and coordination) it can make a person move clumsily. When the gas affects the hippocampus it causes the user to lose there memory.

8. Emotional Affects The emotional affects of N20 all depends on the person inhaling it. Some emotions include: • Happiness • Fear • Anger • Depression • Anxiety • & Fatigue

9. Body Affects Short Term Affects: • Heart Palpitations • Difficulty Breathing • Dizziness • Headaches • & sometimes death Long Term Affects: • Depression Permanent Damage To: • The brain • Nerves • Heart • Lungs • Liver & Kidneys

10. Conclusion/Summary Inhalants are possibly one of the most dangerous drugs because of how they are easy to obtain, very cheap and also found in an everyday household. Although drugs can make you feel good, it’s only for a while and the truth of the matter is people are not only destroying themselves but also everyone around them who truly care about them. But that’s only my opinion and if people would like to destroy there lives on something so stupid they can go ahead and do so. Other Inhalants: • Glue • Cement • Gasoline • Degreaser • Deodorant • Hair Spray • Spray Paint • Air Freshener • Spot Remover • Paint Remover • Nail Polish Remover • Cigarette Lighter Fuel & the list goes on & on!