Ventilatory and metabolic response to rebreathing the expired air in the snorkel

Toklu A. S., KAYSERİLİOĞLU A., ÜNAL M., Ozer S., Aktas S.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE, cilt.24, sa.3, ss.162-165, 2003 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 24 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2003
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1055/s-2003-39084
  • Dergi Adı: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.162-165
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The snorkel, which allows swimmers to keep their face down in the water while breathing, is widely used by divers, spear Fishermen and moncifin swimmers. A snorkel adds an additional dead space of 160 - 170 ml and causes an increase in the concentration of CO, in the inspired gas due to expired air trapped in the snorkel which is then re-inspired. In this study the metabolic and the ventilatory response to rebreathing the expired air in the snorkel were investigated in twelve human subjects. A 2900 C Sensor Medics gas analyzer was used in breath-by-breath mode for the measurements. Ventilation (V-E), respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (TV), oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) were measured at rest and during light exercise both with and without the snorkel dead space. We observed a significant increase in all variables except RR, when subjects rebreathed the gas in the snorkel. The increase in ventilation resulted from an increase in tidal volume rather than increasing respiratory rate. We conclude that the work of breathing is increased when CO2 concentration is high in inspired gas and rebreathing while snorkelling can be prevented by a new snorkel design with a low-resistance two-way non-rebreathing valve, which will allow the expired air flow into the water.

Ventilatory and metabolic response to rebreathing the expired air in the snorkel

By:Toklu, AS (Toklu, AS); Kayserilioglu, A (Kayserilioglu, A); Unal, M (Unal, M); Ozer, S (Ozer, S); Aktas, S (Aktas, S)

 

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE

 

Volume: 24

Issue: 3

Pages: 162-165

DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-39084

Published: APR 2003

View Journal Information

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE

 

JCR® Category Quartile in Category
SPORT SCIENCES Q1

 

Data from the latest edition of Journal Citation Reports®

Publisher GEORG THIEME VERLAG KG, RUDIGERSTR 14, D-70469 STUTTGART, GERMANY

ISSN: 0172-4622

Research Domain Sport Sciences

Abstract

The snorkel, which allows swimmers to keep their face down in the water while breathing, is widely used by divers, spear Fishermen and moncifin swimmers. A snorkel adds an additional dead space of 160 - 170 ml and causes an increase in the concentration of CO, in the inspired gas due to expired air trapped in the snorkel which is then re-inspired. In this study the metabolic and the ventilatory response to rebreathing the expired air in the snorkel were investigated in twelve human subjects. A 2900 C Sensor Medics gas analyzer was used in breath-by-breath mode for the measurements. Ventilation (V-E), respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (TV), oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) were measured at rest and during light exercise both with and without the snorkel dead space. We observed a significant increase in all variables except RR, when subjects rebreathed the gas in the snorkel. The increase in ventilation resulted from an increase in tidal volume rather than increasing respiratory rate. We conclude that the work of breathing is increased when CO2 concentration is high in inspired gas and rebreathing while snorkelling can be prevented by a new snorkel design with a low-resistance two-way non-rebreathing valve, which will allow the expired air flow into the water.

Keywords

Author Keywords:snorkelling; work of breathing; dead space

KeyWords Plus:EXERCISE; CO2; PATTERN; HUMANS

Author Information

Reprint Address: Toklu, AS (reprint author)

Deniz Sualti Hekimligi AD, IU Istanbul Tip Fak, TR-34390 Istanbul, Turkey.
  Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
    Istanbul University

 

Addresses:

[ 1 ] Istanbul Univ, Dept Underwater & Hyperbar Med, Istanbul Fac Med, Istanbul, Turkey
  Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
    Istanbul University
[ 2 ] Istanbul Univ, Istanbul Fac Med, Dept Sports Med, Istanbul, Turkey
  Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
    Istanbul University
[ 3 ] Marmara Univ, Sch Phys Training & Sport, Istanbul, Turkey