Occupational diving takes place in extreme environments that challenge the body's ability to adapt, and pose a risk of health damage. During diving, the environmental pressure increases and the composition of breath gases is different than on land. Gases like oxygen have altered properties under pressure, and gas bubbles that form in the body during decompression from the dive can trigger decompression sickness. The divers experience other environmental impacts. In addition to acute risk, work in extreme environments is likely to affect health in the long term. To prevent injury, we must understand what happens when the body can no longer compensate for stresses from the environment during diving.
NTNU's barophysiology group conducts research, teaching and disseminations aimed at the health effects of diving and extreme environments. The main objective of the Fitness to dive project has been to provide new knowledge that may be applied to prevent health damage to professional divers. Through three subprojects we have investigated 1) how simulated saturation diving affects central nervous system in short and long term, 2) challenges associated with formation of vascular gas bubbles after diving, and 3) biological mechanisms involved in acclimatization for diving. Three scientific staff; one postdoc and two researchers have been in charge of the implementation, and the project was funded by the Petromaks2 program's commitment to health, safety and the environment.
Diving is a novel challenge to human physiology, and as a profession it is essential for underwater work where machines and robots are unsuited - as is frequently the case in Norwegian offshore industry. With continuing exploration and development of unde rwater projects, improved technology has led to reduced risk of injury from diving. But divers still experience significant physiological stress, the functional basis and health challenges of which are only partially understood.
Divers are exposed to ra pid pressure changes, elevated ambient pressure and potentially toxic levels of breathing gas components, all of which confer risk of adverse health effects. Additional risk may come from exposure to pollutants in closed hyperbaric habitats. Better unders tanding of the mechanisms that uphold physiological balances, and applicable knowledge of how specific factors such as individual capacity for oxygen uptake, vascular health and nutritional status affects fitness to dive may aid in preparing and protectin g divers for underwater tasks. In addition to acute risk, there are potential long-term detrimental effects of diving. There is a need for prospective studies of the central nervous system after saturation diving, where retrospective studies have provided inconclusive or conflicting results.
The primary objective of this project is to provide physiological knowledge that may be applied in preparing and protecting divers from acute and long-term injury. The project uses a translational approach in which rat models are supplemented by observations from human divers. The project addresses 1. How the circulatory system reacts and adapts to hyperbaric exposure. 2. Whether hyperbaric exposure with or without particulate pollution (welding dust) affects the ce ntral nervous system. 3. How individual intrinsic and acquired traits affect circulatory reactions to hyperbaric exposure.