Breathe Easy: Detecting Polluted Air In Oxygen Not Included

In the space-colony simulation game Oxygen Not Included, polluted oxygen is a gas resource that is dirty, unfiltered air. It is breathable and works similarly to oxygen, allowing duplicants to survive. However, it also acts as the primary vector for Slimelung germs, which can cause the Yucky Lungs debuff, increasing the air consumption rate and causing coughing. Polluted oxygen can be found naturally in the swamp biome and can be produced by geysers, polluted dirt, and bottled polluted water. To get rid of polluted oxygen, players can use deodorizers, air pumps, and filters, or convert it into liquid oxygen through cooling and reheating.

Deodorizers can be placed near sources of polluted oxygen to filter the air

Deodorizers are an effective tool for managing polluted oxygen in Oxygen Not Included. This breathable gas is found naturally in the Swamp Biome and acts as the primary vector for Slimelung and Food Poisoning germs, causing the Yucky Lungs debuff if inhaled too often. It also causes food to rot twice as fast.

Deodorizers are buildings that use sand to filter and purify polluted oxygen in their vicinity, converting 90% of it to oxygen. They require 5 Watts of power to operate and a periodic supply of filtration medium, which is then converted into clay. Deodorizers can catch polluted oxygen two tiles away in a five-tile-tall and wide star/cross-shaped area, but they won't catch anything behind mechanical doors or non-mesh/airflow tiles.

To manage polluted oxygen, it is recommended to place deodorizers near sources of polluted oxygen, such as outhouses and wash basins, to filter the air. This can be done by circulating air with the use of air pumps that transport polluted oxygen to a filter or a room with deodorizers. Deodorizers can also be placed at the entrance of a dumping site to tackle polluted oxygen from there. Additionally, an array of deodorizers over an open pool of polluted water can slowly convert it into oxygen, producing clay as a by-product, though this process is too slow to be a primary source of oxygen.

While deodorizers are an effective solution, it is also important to address the root cause of polluted oxygen buildup. Storing polluted dirt and water properly and addressing issues with base layout can help reduce the presence of polluted oxygen.

Air pumps can transport polluted oxygen to a filter or storage tank

Polluted oxygen is dirty, unfiltered air that is commonly found in the Swamp Biome. It is breathable and works similarly to oxygen, allowing duplicants to survive. However, it can be harmful as it is the primary vector of transmission for Slimelung germs, which can cause the Yucky Lungs debuff, increasing the air consumption rate and causing coughing. It can also easily spread Food Poisoning germs and cause food nearby to rot at a faster rate.

To manage polluted oxygen in Oxygen Not Included, players can utilize deodorizers, which produce oxygen and clay from polluted oxygen using a filtration medium. Deodorizers can be strategically placed to filter polluted air and prevent it from spreading throughout the base. Additionally, players can vent polluted oxygen into space or allow Pufts, creatures that breathe polluted oxygen, to roam their base and excrete slime.

While the game primarily focuses on managing oxygen and water supplies, air pumps can be used to transport polluted oxygen to a specific location. By creating an enclosed space with deodorizers, players can use air pumps to push polluted oxygen into the filtered area. This setup allows for the continuous purification of the air, reducing the negative effects associated with polluted oxygen.

Alternatively, players can transport polluted oxygen to a storage tank by utilizing air pumps and creating enclosed spaces. By placing deodorizers in a sealed room with a storage tank, players can use air pumps to push polluted oxygen into the tank. This method allows for the containment and storage of polluted oxygen, which can be useful for various purposes, such as powering Steam Turbines or rocket missions to renewable Space POIs.

It is important to note that managing polluted oxygen is an ongoing process, and players may need to employ multiple strategies simultaneously to maintain a healthy and stable environment for their duplicants.

Sublimation Stations can convert polluted dirt into polluted oxygen

Sublimation Stations are a building in the space-colony simulation game Oxygen Not Included that can convert polluted dirt into polluted oxygen. Polluted oxygen is a dirty, unfiltered air resource that is breathable and works similarly to oxygen, allowing Duplicants to survive. However, it also acts as the primary vector of transmission for Slimelung germs, which can cause the Yucky Lungs debuff, increasing the air consumption rate and causing coughing.

The Sublimation Station speeds up the natural process of sublimation, in which solids convert into gas. It converts the solid mass of polluted dirt into breathable polluted oxygen gas. This process can support up to five Duplicants. However, because it creates polluted oxygen, the output will need to be deodorized to prevent the Yucky Lungs debuff. Deodorizing the output can support up to six Duplicants.

There are a few ways to deodorize polluted oxygen. One way is to use deodorizers, which can convert polluted oxygen (PO2) into oxygen (O2). Another way is to cool and condense the polluted oxygen into liquid oxygen and then heat it back up. This can be done using an installation involving thermo-regulators. Additionally, incorporating deodorizers into the design of your base can help mitigate the spread of polluted oxygen. For example, placing deodorizers along main thoroughfares can screen gases approaching your base.

It is important to note that Sublimation Stations are typically used early in the game to convert polluted dirt into oxygen. However, this process is more complicated than other water-based oxygen generation methods. Additionally, Sublimation Stations can be useful for getting rid of polluted dirt, as this is their primary function.

Polluted oxygen can be condensed into liquid oxygen and then reheated

Polluted oxygen, or PO2, is a type of dirty, unfiltered air found in the Swamp Biome in the game Oxygen Not Included. It is breathable and works similarly to oxygen, but it can spread Slimelung and Food Poisoning germs. Breathing too much polluted oxygen can cause negative health effects, such as increased air consumption, coughing, and faster food rot.

To get rid of polluted oxygen in the game, players can use deodorizers, which can transform PO2 into O2. Another option is to vent the polluted oxygen into space or let Pufts roam your base to consume it. Additionally, players can cool and condense polluted oxygen into liquid oxygen and then heat it back up to get rid of it.

In real-world applications, liquid oxygen is obtained from the oxygen found naturally in the air through fractional distillation in a cryogenic air separation plant. It has a clear cyan color and is strongly paramagnetic. Liquid oxygen has a freezing point of −218.79 °C (−361.82 °F) and a boiling point of −182.96 °C (−297.33 °F) at 1 bar (14.5 psi). It is widely used in industrial, medical, and aerospace applications.

To condense polluted oxygen into liquid oxygen, players can use an installation involving thermo regulators to cool it down to its condensation point. This process is similar to how liquid oxygen is produced in the real world, where it is cooled to extremely low temperatures. However, it is important to note that the game may simplify the process for gameplay purposes.

Pufts and Puft Princes can breathe polluted oxygen and excrete slime

Pufts are non-aggressive creatures that can breathe polluted oxygen and excrete slime. They are an integral part of the game's ecosystem, and players can use them to their advantage to manage polluted oxygen levels in their colony. Pufts can be kept in a stable room with polluted water on the floor, which will off-gas polluted oxygen to feed the pufts.

The basic Puft variant can breathe polluted oxygen and excrete slime with 95% efficiency. This means that the mass of the excreted slime is 95% that of the inhaled polluted oxygen. The slime produced by Pufts can be converted into algae or used to farm Dusk Caps. Additionally, players can keep a separate Puft Prince stable to produce Puft eggs, as the presence of a Puft Prince can influence the type of eggs laid by Pufts.

Puft Princes are similar to basic Pufts but can breathe all three types of gases: polluted oxygen, oxygen, and chlorine. However, they only excrete 10% of the inhaled mass. Puft Princes are lazy critters that excrete small solid lumps of whatever gas they have been breathing.

Players can use Pufts to manage polluted oxygen levels in their colony. Pufts can convert polluted oxygen to slime at a rate of around 50 g/s. However, it's important to note that Pufts can only achieve their maximum conversion rate if their mobility is limited. Otherwise, they will spend a significant amount of time travelling and rising, reducing their efficiency.

To effectively utilise Pufts for polluted oxygen management, players should ensure proper airflow and positioning of deodorizers. Additionally, it's crucial to store polluted water and dirt properly to prevent further pollution. While deodorizers are commonly used to filter polluted oxygen, they don't directly disinfect Slimelung germs. Instead, the germs will slowly die off in regular oxygen, and during filtration, the germs are transferred to the clay created by the deodorizer.

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