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Oxygen is a vital gaseous element for respiration and is widely distributed on Earth and in the universe. It can be extracted through fractional distillation and has various uses in medicine, welding, and industry. However, pure oxygen can be dangerous and toxic, causing damage to the lungs and cells.
Oxygen is a colourless, odorless and tasteless gaseous chemical element that appears in great abundance on Earth, trapped by the atmosphere. Many people are familiar with oxygen because it is a vital component of the respiratory process; without it, most organisms will die within minutes. Numerous forms of oxygen and its compounds can be found in nature. The gas can also be isolated and sold in pure form for an assortment of uses, and was first isolated and identified in 1774.
The atomic number of oxygen is eight and is identified by a symbol O on the periodic table of elements. In addition to being widely distributed on Earth, it is also the third most abundant element in the universe and is a key catalyst in many chemical reactions. Oxidation is one such reaction and occurs when it mixes with other elements and compounds. Oxygen also plays a role in combustion.
There are several ways to extract pure oxygen. Water can be ionized, forcing the oxygen and hydrogen atoms to separate. More commonly, however, air samples are cooled to liquid form and then slowly heated. As the air heats up, the elements precipitate out in a process called fractional distillation, because different gaseous elements convert to a gaseous form at different temperatures. Once extracted, the gas can be bottled for use.
In medicine, oxygen has several uses. It is sometimes offered therapeutically to patients who have difficulty breathing. It is also used in anesthesia blends, ensuring the patient gets a constant supply of gas while unconscious. The element also plays a role in welding and industry, being combined with substances such as acetylene, for example, to make welding torches.
Although pure oxygen is used medicinally and recreationally, because it causes a mild euphoric state, it is potentially dangerous. In high-pressure environments, overuse toxicity can damage the lungs, often quite severely. Depending on the pressure, symptoms may come on right away or it may take several hours to show up, at which point it may be too late. The gas also poses a serious combustion hazard, and some compounds such as ozone and hydrogen peroxide are extremely toxic. These compounds can damage cells and DNA if left unchecked. Living organisms should consume a diet rich in antioxidants to help prevent one form of this damage, caused by free radicals in the body.
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