High-frequency sound field and bubble formation in a rat decompression model

High-frequency sound might cause bubble enlargement by rectified diffusion. The purpose of the present study was to investigate gas bubble formation in the immersed diving animal during exposure to high-frequency sound. Anaesthetised rats were subjected to a simulated diving profile while immersed inside a hyperbaric chamber. An acoustic beacon (pinger) was placed ventral to the animal's abdomen, transmitting at an intensity of 208.9 dB re 1 μPa and a frequency of 37 kHz. Six groups of eight animals were included in the study as in Table 1, breathing air (n = 4) or Nitrox 72/28 (n = 2), at a depth of 0 m, 30 m or 40 m. Immediately after decompression, the intestinal mesenterium was imaged, and frames were acquired digitally. The number of bubbles and their radii were analysed and compared among the groups. The mean bubble density for group 1 was 1.35 ± 0.18 bubbles/mm², significantly higher when compared with the other groups (p < 0.0001). The average bubble radius for groups 1 and 2 was similar (12.57 ± 4.1 and 10.63 ± 1.8 μm, respectively), but significantly larger than in the other groups (p < 0.0002). The percentage of bubbles with a radius greater than 50 μm was significantly higher in group 1 (p < 0.0001). The results suggest that commercially available underwater pingers might enhance bubble growth during deep air diving.