In mid 2023, Sarco completed its first round of technical instrument testing in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
From this time, testing was conducted on an ongoing basis until the week prior to Sarco’s relocation south to Switzerland.
Testing was undertaken using a range of instrumentation (never on ‘lab rats’).
The level of oxygen was analysed continuously over the multiple testing rounds to confirm that it would drop precipitously, in a reliable and consistent manner, to < 0 in around 60 seconds.
The state of zero oxygen was consistently monitored to confirm it would be retained for up to 15 minutes.
The Sarco creates a low oxygen, low carbon dioxide environment with the use of nitrogen. The nitrogen is produced in the base.
Upon the push of the button inside the Sarco (no one external to the Sarco can start the flow of nitrogen), the nitrogen is released.
Nitrogen gas rapidly and invisibly enters the capsule, replacing the air with pure nitrogen gas.
The air is expelled via a one-way valve system which is located at the rear of the Sarco.
Nitrogen gas can be sometimes be seen but never smelt. Nitrogen is a harmless gas, it is NOT poisonous.
The air that we breathe is composed of around ~21% oxygen and ~79% nitrogen.
Death occurs because of the rapid lowering of the level of oxygen within the capsule, not from the nitrogen gas per se.
The user’s exhaled carbon dioxide is similarly displaced by the flow of the nitrogen gas into the capsule.