Oxygen enrichment and its application to life support systems for workers in high-altitude areas

Background:

Workers coming from lowland regions are at risk of developing acute mountain sickness (AMS) when working in low oxygen high-altitude areas.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to improve the conditions that lead to hypoxia and ensure the safety of the high-altitude workers. We analyzed the influence of low atmospheric pressure on the oxygen enrichment process in high-altitude areas using an engineering method called low-pressure swing adsorption (LPSA).

Methods:

Fourteen male subjects were screened and divided into three groups by type of oxygen supply system used: (1) oxygen cylinder group; (2) LPSA oxygen dispersal group; and (3) control group. These tests included arterial oxygen saturation (SaO₂), pulse rate (PR), breaths per minute (BPM), and blood pressure (BP).

Results:

The results showed that after supplying oxygen using the LPSA method at the tunnel face, the SaO₂ of workers increased; the incidence of acute mountain sickness, PR, and BPM significantly decreased.

Conclusions:

The LPSA life support system was found to be a simple, convenient, efficient, reliable, and applicable approach to ensure proper working conditions at construction sites in high-altitude areas.