The breathtaking growth of portable oxygen concentrators

摘要

Oxygen concentrator technology has been around for many years, but it's only with the advent of portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) that it has really begun to make an impact in the field of ambulatory oxygen therapy. Oxygen concentrator technology was introduced for stationary institutional and home use in the early 1970s. It was based on the pioneering work of Union Carbide chemist Edith Flanigen, who in 1956 developed the first molecular sieves, crystal compounds that work like strainers on ambient air to separate oxygen from nitrogen. In the early 2000s, a number of companies introduced battery-powered portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) that facilitate more active patient lifestyles. POCs have steadily grown in popularity and are now directly impacting the oxygen therapy market.