Concentrations of Nitrous Oxide in Blood, Exhaled Air and Urine After Various Types of Exposure.

NCT07690358 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 1-10-72-156-25
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The study examines the concentrations of nitrous oxide that are achieved in blood, exhaled air, and urine after three different exposures to nitrous oxide: inhalation of three or four cartridges of nitrous oxide released in a car cabin in a switched-off car, consumption of 100 g of whipped cream in which nitrous oxide is used as a propellant, and exposure through work as a midwife in a delivery room. The concentrations in blood and exhaled air are measured for up to 1 hour after exposure, and in urine for up to 2 hours after exposure. The concentrations in blood and urine are measued with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, while the concentration in exhaled air is measured by a sensor using an NDIR sensor (Olythe, France).

Conditions

Intoxication by Drug

Keywords

Nitrous oxide; Forensic chemistry; driving under the influence; laughing gas

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Detection time of Nitrous Oxide in blood

  The time after exposure in which Nitrous Oxide can be detected in blood

  From end of exposure to 1 hour after end of exposure

Study Arms (4)

Passive exposure in car, 3 cartridges

EXPERIMENTAL

A person sits for 15 minutes after releasing 4 x 8.4 g of nitrous oxide into the cabin

Other: Nitrous Oxide 99 %

Passive exposure in car, 4 cartridges

EXPERIMENTAL

A person sits for 15 minutes after releasing 4 x 8.4 g of nitrous oxide into the cabin

Other: Nitrous Oxide 99 %

Whipped cream, 100 g

EXPERIMENTAL

A person ingests 100 g of whipped cream with nitrous oxide as propellant

Other: Nitrous Oxide 99 %

Environmental exposure

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

concentrations of nitrous oxide are measured after exposure through work as a midwife in a delivery room

Other: Nitrous Oxide + Oxygen Gas

Interventions

Nitrous Oxide 99 % OTHER

Passive exposure to Nitrous Oxide

Passive exposure in car, 3 cartridges; Passive exposure in car, 4 cartridges; Whipped cream, 100 g

Nitrous Oxide + Oxygen Gas OTHER

Midwifes are exposed through work in a delivery room

Environmental exposure

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18-65 years
• Able to understand Danish
• Willing to use effective contraception for 24 hours after the end of exposure (oral contraceptives, contraceptive implant, transdermal patch, vaginal ring, or injectable contraceptives)
• Written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Current or past abuse of drugs, nitrous oxide (N₂O), or alcohol
• A psychiatric disorder requiring medical treatment, including severe depression
• A diagnosis of epilepsy
• Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy
• Significant cardiac or pulmonary disease
• Previous allergic or adverse reaction to N₂O
• Diving within the past 2 days
• Inability to refrain from diving for 2 days after the study
• Occupational exposure to N₂O
• Use of N₂O within the past 3 months
• Treatment with methotrexate, benzodiazepines, opioids, or other centrally depressant drugs
• Recent intraocular gas injection
• Known impaired liver or kidney function
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women (fertile women, defined as amenorrhea for less than 12 months, must have a negative hCG pregnancy test prior to receiving the study intervention)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Aarhus: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Forensic Medicine

Aarhus, 8200, Denmark

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Driving Under the Influence

Interventions

Nitrous Oxide

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Criminal Behavior; Behavior; Dangerous Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Nitrogen Oxides; Gases; Inorganic Chemicals; Nitrogen Compounds; Oxides; Oxygen Compounds

Central Study Contacts

Charlotte U Andersen, Associate Professor

CONTACT

+4560128430; cua@biomed.au.dk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 29, 2026
• First Posted: July 8, 2026
• Study Start: June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Last Updated: July 8, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DK (1)