While Russian officials did not confirm whether these suspicions were true or not, they said there would be “nothing wrong” if the athletes used xenon. The ZAO Atom-Med Center – a research center with over a decade of experience using gases such as xenon to enhance performance in elite sports – also makes little effort to hide the fact that they have been using xenon to enhance athletes` performance for years. In fact, the company`s work in this area is celebrated. Xenon has been used as an anesthetic for over 70 years and has several advantages over traditional inhalation anesthetics, such as greater hemodynamic stability and faster recovery. As a monatomic element, xenon does not act as a greenhouse gas, unlike commonly used inhalants. There is growing preclinical and clinical evidence that xenon is neuroprotective in a variety of settings, including hypoxic ischemic brain injury and cardiac surgery. However, the scarcity and cost of xenon have limited its widespread adoption. Organometallic structures (MOFs) are a relatively new type of adsorption material that typically has exceptionally large surfaces and allows the detection of large amounts of gaseous species. These crystalline materials have well-defined pores that can be tailored to specific guests and purposes.
As a result, the industry`s interest in the use of these highly porous materials is of great interest. Our research team recently demonstrated the ability of these materials to effectively capture conventional anesthetic sevoflurane from a deposited gas mixture. The objective of this proposed study is to develop MOFs specifically designed for the separation of xenon from a gas mixture. Building on promising MOF systems developed at the University of Melbourne, materials for xenon deposition and recovery will be optimised under conditions that make their use economically and environmentally sustainable. In addition, research will be extended to other MOF adsorption materials to ensure that the best candidates for xenon adsorption have been identified. X-ray diffraction, which uses laboratory resources in addition to the Australian synchrotron facilities, is used to determine the molecular structures of adsorption materials. This work will help change the design of the adsorption material. Using modern, custom-made MOFs as adsorbents is a relatively simple solution to a difficult problem. With MOFs, there is clear potential for the development of a system that would make xenon anesthesia, with the environmental and medical benefits it brings, a viable option in conventional medicine. As mentioned earlier, it is not clear whether xenon gas can improve cyclists` performance. But assuming EPO is capable of creating supposed performance miracles, there`s no reason why xenon gas can`t do the same. If xenon gas is not currently listed in sections S-0 or M1-2 of WADA`s list, should it be included in the prohibited list as a specific substance and/or method? For xenon gas to be included, WADA must (theoretically) demonstrate that xenon gas meets two of the following three criteria: A presentation prepared in 2010 by the ZAO Atom-Med Center suggests that “xenon-based recovery methods will help Russian athletes at the London (2012) and Sochi (2014) Olympic Games.” In fact, there has been much speculation in recent weeks that Russian Winter Olympians used xenon in preparation for the Sochi Games.
In addition to banning the use of xenon and argon, WADA has decided to add these substances to its prohibited list. Our research suggests that xenon consumption has so far only been reported in Russian athletes, but it is not clear whether or not this includes Russian cyclists. The reason xenon is called “noble gas” is truly noble. In less cryptic terms, this implies its unusual non-responsiveness. To be more scientifically precise, noble gases have filled the outer electron shells, making them less inclined to react with other elements at normal pressures and temperatures. It does not undergo any biological transformation and for three to four minutes it leaves xenon gas through the lungs. Unlike other pharmaceutical substances used in medicine, it is absolutely non-toxic, it is indifferent in the body, it has no side effects, does not cause allergies or cardiodepressive effects, it does not affect the morphological composition, blood clotting and immune system, it does not change the neuroendocrine status, and it is ecologically clean and harmless. Little is known whether xenon is or has been used by cyclists. Xenon is mainly used in light industry. Xenon produces a blue or lavender glow when exposed to an electric shock. Lamps that use xenon shine better than conventional lamps.
For example, strobe lamps, photographic flash lamps, high-intensity arc lamps for film projection, some lamps for offshore observation, bactericidal lamps, tanning bed lamps and high-pressure arcs all use this gas. In fact, you probably see xenon lamps regularly. Some vehicle headlights use xenon. If you see headlights that emit a soft blue glow, they are probably made of xenon. Perhaps the case of another “grey area” substance, insulin-like growth factor-1 (or IGF-1), could help us understand the xenon conundrum. Australian races, already rocked by the widespread use of banned cobalt chloride, have rebounded by announcing a testing facility for the next prohibitive substance of concern on the black market, xenon gas. Many xenon compounds are primarily made with fluorine or oxygen. Both oxides, xenon trioxide (XeO3) and xenon tetroxide (XeO4), are highly explosive. Some toxic compounds made with fluorine include difluoride, xenon deuterate, sodium perxenate, xenon hydrate, tetrafluoride and hexafluoride. IMAGE ABOVE: 21 xenon lights illuminate Niagara Falls in a rainbow of colors.