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Fabrication and Operation of an Oxygen Insert for Adherent Cellular Cultures
Published on: January 6, 2010
An artificial gill system for oxygen uptake from water using perfluorooctylbromide
H Haramoto1, K Kokubo, K Sakai
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
ASAIO Journal (American Society for Artificial Internal Organs : 1992)
|July 1, 1994
Summary
Researchers developed an artificial gill system using perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB) to extract dissolved oxygen from seawater. This technology enables a stable oxygen supply from water to air, potentially allowing extended underwater human activity.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Marine Biology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Human underwater exploration and activity are limited by the availability of breathable oxygen.
- Current methods for obtaining oxygen underwater are insufficient for prolonged human presence.
- Dissolved oxygen in seawater represents a vast, untapped resource.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate an artificial gill system for extracting dissolved oxygen from seawater.
- To assess the efficiency of perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB) as an oxygen carrier in an artificial gill.
- To determine the feasibility of using this system for sustained oxygen supply.
Main Methods:
- An artificial gill system was designed utilizing hollow fiber membranes.
- Perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB), a liquid with high oxygen solubility, was employed as the oxygen transport medium.
- Oxygen transfer rates were measured from seawater to PFOB and subsequently from PFOB to deoxygenated air.
Main Results:
- Rapid oxygen transfer was observed from seawater to PFOB when water flowed externally and PFOB internally within the hollow fibers.
- Oxygen transfer from PFOB to deoxygenated air was identified as the rate-limiting step in the system.
- The PFOB-based artificial gill demonstrated a stable and continuous supply of oxygen over extended periods.
Conclusions:
- Perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB) effectively functions as a medium for storing and transporting oxygen extracted from water.
- The developed artificial gill system shows promise for enabling longer human stays underwater.
- Further optimization of the oxygen transfer from PFOB to air is needed to enhance system efficiency.
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