Underwater oxygen extraction device

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the feasibility of creating a mouthpiece that extracts oxygen from water while expelling it back into the ocean. Participants question whether current technology can achieve this or if it is too bulky for practical use. The conversation highlights that while oxygen can be toxic at high pressures, the primary concern is the removal of carbon dioxide. There is also mention of symptoms related to oxygen toxicity, such as prickly lips, which may be confused with nitrogen narcosis. Overall, the focus remains on the challenges of underwater oxygen extraction and the associated risks.
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Hello everyone. I'm sure there is a really good reason as to why this hasn't been done yet but I just wanted to ask and see if it could be done.

Why can't we make a mouth piece that basically takes in water, filters out the oxygen and then expels the water back into the ocean, then takes in some more water, extracts the oxygen ect?

Do we not yet have technology capable of extracting oxygen from water? Or is it just that the technology is too large for it to be used in these circumstances?
 
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Doesn't oxygen become toxic at a certain point though? I suppose it could be used at a certain depth
 
The problem is not getting oxygen, it is removing the toxic CO2.
Oxygen is not toxic, oxygen poisoning is a term used to describe excess oxygen. The first symptom is prickly lips due to the increased sensitivity of the nervous system.
 
Baluncore said:
The problem is not getting oxygen, it is removing the toxic CO2.
Oxygen is not toxic, oxygen poisoning is a term used to describe excess oxygen. The first symptom is prickly lips due to the increased sensitivity of the nervous system.

This is very important. Oxygen can be extremely toxic. If the partial pressure of oxygen in any breathable gas mix at depth exceeds one atmosphere, seizures and death may occur even before drowning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_toxicity as a start.

Prickly lips sounds like nitrogen narcosis, which I have experienced myself.
 
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Neumeric said:
Prickly lips sounds like nitrogen narcosis, which I have experienced myself.

I have never experienced nitrogen narcosis, but you will get prickly lips for hyperventillating (I know it first hand). Whether it is because of the excess oxygen, or too low levels of carbon dioxide (which increases blood pH) is another question.
 
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