Enriched Air Nitrox
Ask any dive professional if it is worth getting certified with Enriched Air and they will reply with a resounding "YES, it's what we use when we go diving!"
So what is Enriched Air?
EAN is a blend of air with a higher percentage of oxygen and a lower percentage of nitrogen in the mix. While normal air consists primarily of 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen, recreational divers certified to use EAN can dive with mixtures containing up to 40% oxygen. Blends are typically around 32% and 31%.
How does EAN benefit the diver?
The primary benefit of using EAN is that you are exposed to less nitrogen (which is the main factor that limits your bottom times at depth), than when you dive with regular air.
Is it for me?
For experienced divers with average to good air consumption rates, the benefits of being able to stay down a little deeper for significantly longer can turn a good dive into a great dive! Diving wrecks, walls and drop offs are perfect examples of where having a nitrox tank on your back is the only way to go.
Factors such as age, excess body fat, over-exertion and dehydration are contributing factors to your body's ability to absorb nitrogen more readily and eliminate it less efficiently. Since excess nitrogen absorption causes decompression sickness, diving with less in your tank is an added precaution. Divers with some medical conditions and those that have previously had a diving accident are advised to dive solely with Enriched Air.
