224 



DISSOLVED GASES IN BODY FLUIDS 



with the corresponding changes in gas concentration in urine shows that the loss in inert gases 

 by the body closely follows the reduction in partial pressure of the inert gases in the chamber. 



15 20 



TIME IN ODC (HOURS) 



25 



Fig. 95. Sealab II, Team 2 inert-gas elimination during 

 decompression; A - helium purge reducing nitrogen con- 

 centration and increasing heliunn concentration, B - outer 

 lock pressurized with air, increasing nitrogen concentra- 

 tion and decreasing helium concentration 



Decompression of Team 3 



Fig. 96 presents results of the decompression studies on Team 3. These results are less 

 dramatic than those of Team 2, since a steady continuous decompression was followed for 26 

 hours. The first urine sample after Team 3 entered the DDC was taken about two and one-half 

 hours after entry. In comparing the upper halves of Figs. 91 and 92 it should be noted that the 

 partial pressure of N2 in the DDC was initially higher for Team 3 than for Team 2. In fact, at 

 all stages of decompression for Team 3 the N2 level was greater than that of Team 2, and sim- 

 ilarly the helium partial pressure was less. The lower half of Fig. 96 is a plot of the concen- 



