Is argon gas poisonous?

Argon is a gas that we come into contact with more in our daily lives. It is the earliest rare gas discovered by humans and is an inert gas. In Greek, it means "inactive". Is argon gas toxic? Argon, whether in gaseous or liquid form, is colorless and odorless, and has no significant toxicity. Argon is stable in nature and generally does not react chemically with any chemical substances. It is used in many industrial production fields. Using argon instead of nitrogen and ammonia during the heat treatment process can make the stainless steel bend better and less likely to break during heat treatment.

Argon itself is non-toxic, but once it forms a high concentration in a relatively closed space, it will inevitably significantly reduce the proportion of oxygen in the air, causing hypoxia and suffocation. When the concentration of argon in the air is higher than 33%, people are in danger of suffocation; when the concentration of argon exceeds 50%, the human body will experience severe symptoms of hypoxia; when the concentration reaches more than 75%, it can cause death within minutes.

High concentrations lead to suffocation due to lack of oxygen

Liquid argon absorbs a large amount of heat during the vaporization process, and can cause frostbite if it contaminates the skin and mucous membranes. The clinical manifestations of poisoning caused by inhalation of high-concentration argon gas are mainly caused by hypoxia. Mild cases include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, etc. Severe cases may experience confusion, convulsions, coma, or even sudden death. Due to the damaging effects of systemic hypoxia, patients may suffer from pulmonary edema, myocardial damage, liver and kidney damage, etc. For patients with milder conditions, nasal cannula or mask oxygen inhalation is usually given. In recent years, there have been case reports of using hyperbaric oxygen to treat argon leak asphyxia.

In recent years, most of the acute argon poisoning cases reported in domestic medical literature were caused by large-scale liquid argon leakage due to rupture of liquid argon storage tanks, rupture of pipelines, valve failure or human operational errors. To prevent tragedies from happening, companies need to formulate emergency rescue plans for acute poisoning and safe operating procedures for working in confined spaces.

Although it is an inert gas, it is also a asphyxiating gas and inhaling large amounts can cause suffocation. The production site must be ventilated, and technicians engaged in argon-related work must undergo regular occupational disease examinations every year to ensure their good health.

Argon itself is non-toxic, but it has a suffocating effect in high concentrations. When the argon concentration in the air is higher than 33%, there is a risk of suffocation. When the argon concentration exceeds 50%, serious symptoms appear, and when the concentration reaches above 75%, death can occur within minutes. Liquid argon can damage the skin and cause inflammation if in contact with the eyes.