Soda lime is a mixture of chemicals, used in granular form in closed breathing environments, such as general anaesthesia, submarines, rebreathers and recompression chambers, to remove carbon dioxide from breathing gases to prevent CO₂ retention and carbon dioxide poisoning. A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ... In modern medical practice, general anaesthesia (AmE: anesthesia) is a state of total unconsciousness resulting from general anaesthetic drugs. ... For other uses, see Submarine (disambiguation). ... This article is about the breathing apparatus. ... A recompression chamber is a pressure vessel used to treat divers suffering from certain diving disorders such as decompression sickness. ... Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. ... Air is the most common and only natural breathing gas. ... CO2 retention is a pathophysiological process in which too little carbon dioxide is removed from the blood by the lungs. ... Hypercapnia is a condition where there is too much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the body. ...

It is made by slaking quicklime with concentrated caustic soda solution. Calcium oxide (CaO), commonly known as lime or quicklime, is a widely used chemical compound. ... Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as caustic soda or lye in North America, is a caustic metallic base used in industry (mostly as a strong chemical base) in the manufacture of paper, textiles, and detergents. ...

Chemical components

The main components of soda lime are

• Calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)₂ (about 75%),
• Water, H₂O (about 20%),
• Sodium hydroxide, NaOH (about 3%), and
• Potassium hydroxide, KOH (about 1%).

It has been suggested that Portlandite be merged into this article or section. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... Flash point Non-flammable. ... The chemical compound potassium hydroxide, (KOH) sometimes known as caustic potash, potassa, potash lye, and potassium hydrate, is a metallic base. ...

Scrubber in a rebreather

Exhaled gas must be passed through a "carbon dioxide scrubber" where the carbon dioxide is absorbed before the gas is made available to be breathed again. In rebreathers the scrubber is a part of the breathing loop. In larger environments, such as recompression chambers, a fan is used to pass gas through the canister. This article is about the breathing apparatus. ...

Chemical reaction

1. CO₂ + H₂O → H₂CO₃
2. H₂CO₃ + 2NaOH → Na₂CO₃ + 2H₂O + Heat
3. Na₂CO₃ + Ca(OH)₂ → CaCO₃ + 2NaOH
4. Ca(OH)₂ (heat) → CaO + H₂O

See also

• Lithium hydroxide

Lithium hydroxide (LiOH) is a corrosive alkali. ...

External links

• Sofnolime Example of a commercial soda lime product that is used in diving and medicine