Helium

It is inert, it is non-toxic and it is used by deep sea divers. I wouldn't imagine there's any recorded long term effects.
 
markyp23 said:
I absolutely refuse to believe that deep sea divers inhale pure helium. There is a mixture of helium and oxygen used in some medical applications (heliox? - can't remember) but I'm not sure if it's the same thing.
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I think that's what Gilly meant, he didn't say pure helium. I don't think it's bad for you in moderate amounts say 3-4 balloons a day.
 
markyp23 said:
I absolutely refuse to believe that deep sea divers inhale pure helium. There is a mixture of helium and oxygen used in some medical applications (heliox? - can't remember) but I'm not sure if it's the same thing.
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its not pure helium, it is a mix, but still, cant be that bad for you if your breathing it in constantly (whilst diving) even if it is mixed down
 
ofc they don't breathe pure helium, but Gilly is absolutely right that divers do breathe certain gas mixtures including helium
 
markyp23 said:
I absolutely refuse to believe that deep sea divers inhale pure helium. There is a mixture of helium and oxygen used in some medical applications (heliox? - can't remember) but I'm not sure if it's the same thing.
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It's normally around 80% He, sometimes up to 90%. And yes, it does make your voice go squeaky just like Helium out of balloons :D
 
markyp23 said:
I absolutely refuse to believe that deep sea divers inhale pure helium. There is a mixture of helium and oxygen used in some medical applications (heliox? - can't remember) but I'm not sure if it's the same thing.
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I absolutely refuse to believe that you read any reference to pure helium in my post.
 
markyp23 said:
Only in the same way that nitrogen can't be that bad for you as we are breathing it constantly. If you breathe pure nitrogen it equals death by oxygen deprivation.

This is why I asked the OP in what context he meant "inhaling helium".
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yep, it isn't harmful in itself, but the fact that you're breathing in helium may mean you're not breathing in oxygen, which wouldn't be good for you
 
A quick google found

"One thing that you should be aware of before trying helium inhalation is the risk involved. Since your body has no use for helium when it is inhaled into your lungs, you are essentially holding your breath for that whole time, so remember to breathe! It doesn't take long for someone to loose consciousness due to asphyxia. On rare occasions, people have actually died as a result of inhaling helium.

The really important thing is that you do not inhale helium from a canister. Helium in a balloon is at roughly the same pressure as the atmosphere, so when you breath in a lungful, it won't try to expand very much to take up more room. Helium from a canister is under high pressure. As it is released into the lower pressure atmosphere, the helium gas will expand rapidly, in accordance with Boyle's Law. A balloon can take this as it is designed to expand1, but your lungs cannot, and will rupture, leaving you seriously ill.

Helium that is used for filling balloons is specially mixed to contain a little oxygen along with the helium. This makes the helium less hazardous, but it makes it by no means entirely safe. You should consider the consequences before inhaling the helium. Though unlikely that anything will happen, it cannot be said that inhaling helium is risk free."
 
Helium is one of the few elements which does not exhbit any chemical reactivity under "normal conditions" (the other two being Neon and Argon). There it cannot react with your body. the only thing it can do is deprive your lungs of oxygen causing your death.

Sulfur hexafluoride is an interesting comparison as this makes you voice go low

See
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIXEzj08MwE
 
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