Being imprisoned in a small box that is submerged in water ranks highly on many people’s lists of nightmares. However, a US professor is deliberately doing this. Joe Dituri, a biomedical engineering specialist, and a former US Navy diver has been residing in a 55 square meter space 30 feet below the Florida Keys since 1 March and intends to stay for 100 days. If he succeeds, he will set a new record for the length of time spent in an underwater habitat.
Dituri studies how the human body responds to hyperbaric pressure
Dituri studies how the human body responds to hyperbaric pressure, which is when air pressure is higher than it would be at sea level. He intends to use his time spent underground to research the effects that living in such a stressful environment has on his health. It’s interesting how Dituri’s endeavor will differ greatly from subsisting. When underwater, submarines are sealed and kept at atmospheric pressure. This indicates that even at depths of hundreds of meters, there is no appreciable difference in pressure.
However, unlike a submarine, Dituri’s underwater housing won’t have any airlocks or solid hatches to separate the dry living area from the ocean. Comparable to pushing a glass of water into a washbasin full of water when it is upside down. Dituri’s living quarters will still have a pocket of air at the top, and one room’s floor will have a pool of water that originates from the ocean outside. This indicates that when the weight of the ocean presses against his habitat, the air pressure around him rises. The air pressure inside this habitat, which is 30 feet below the surface, is roughly twice as high as what he is accustomed to.
Hyperbaric pressure can present a very real threat to us
The effects of prolonged hyperbaric pressure exposure on the body have not been well studied. Hyperbaric pressure can, however, present a very real threat to us, as every certified diver is well aware. Our bodies have evolved over many generations to function at sea level, where oxygen and carbon dioxide, the two main gases involved in breathing, are the only two that may freely pass between our lungs and blood.
However, as pressure rises, nitrogen from the air is pushed through our lungs’ thin walls and into our blood. Various negative consequences may result from this. This may result in a slight euphoria and upbeat spirits at depths of ten to thirty meters. It can cause intoxicated-like behaviors after around 30 meters below sea level and beyond, hence the name “narcosis.” Although scientists still don’t fully understand why this occurs, it may be because of alterations in how neurotransmitters communicate between brain cells. Dituri, who is only at a depth of 10 meters, will fortunately not be at risk from this.
Getting adequate vitamin D will be another difficulty for Dituri
But as he adapts to his underwater surroundings, Dituri can anticipate going through more physical changes. Dituri will only receive half as much sunlight in the habitat as they would on land, despite the fact that it has enormous windows. This might interfere with his circadian rhythm, which depends on daylight and regulates numerous bodily processes, including our sleep-wake cycle. This can indicate sleep disturbances. Getting adequate vitamin D will be another difficulty for Dituri. This vitamin can only be produced by the skin when exposed to ultraviolet light, which is normally provided by the sun. Dituri’s underwater habitat makes it likely that he won’t get enough vitamin D exposure.
Maintaining immunity, muscle health, and bone density are all important functions of vitamin D. After just 14 days of living in a NASA-run underwater habitat designed to simulate space travel, researchers discovered that the immune systems of the subjects had been compromised. To prevent declines in his immune system function, Dituri will need to obtain vitamin D from other sources, including foods high in vitamin D, pills, or ultraviolet lamps. Dituri will be living alone, but astronauts in comparable environments have reported latent illnesses happening. Many of us have these viruses, which our immune systems often keep in check. Dituri can become ill as a result of his immune system starts to malfunction.
Dituri might be able to halt the loss of muscle and bone mass by including some resistance workouts like squats and lunges
Dituri will solely exercise through swimming, save from a very limited amount of strolling around its environment. Losses in bone and muscle mass are probable due to swimming’s non-weight-bearing nature; these losses may resemble (though not be as severe as) those experienced by astronauts during protracted voyages to the International Space Station. Dituri might be able to halt the loss of muscle and bone mass by including some resistance workouts like squats and lunges. Dituri will not be in a submarine’s underwater environment, but the length of time he spends there is similar to what many submarine workers undergo. Despite precautions to prevent it, research on submariners has shown that even just a few months below the surface can have long-term impacts.
Submariners, for instance, continued to experience sleep disturbances and issues with hormone levels even after spending two months underwater. Bone and muscle mass decreases were also evident in the crew. This demonstrates how crucial it will be for Dituri to exercise regularly and obtain enough vitamin D exposure.
The biggest unknown is, of course, what impact prolonged hyperbaric pressure will have on Dituri. Only short-term exposures have been examined in the studies we do have on the effects of hyperbaric pressure, which may have had a beneficial impact on wound healing. Although Dituri is only one person, the results of his experiment will still be helpful to the discipline because this will be a physically and maybe psychologically demanding task.
