Which of the following is NOT a benefit of using Enriched Air Nitrox?

Using Enriched Air Nitrox provides several advantages to divers, primarily centered around safety and efficiency during underwater excursions. The correct answer indicates that increased gas consumption is not a benefit of using Nitrox.

When divers use Enriched Air Nitrox, they typically experience increased bottom time compared to air because the added oxygen in the gas mixture reduces the proportion of nitrogen, which is what limits bottom time due to potential nitrogen narcosis and decompression sickness. Similarly, by optimizing the dive profile with Nitrox, divers can often achieve shorter surface intervals when diving multiple times in a single day, as the reduced nitrogen exposure diminishes the amount of time needed for off-gassing.

Moreover, the use of Enriched Air Nitrox directly correlates with a reduced risk of decompression sickness (DCS) since decreased nitrogen absorption leads to less nitrogen being available to create bubbles in the body during relaxation in a pressure change.

In contrast, using Nitrox does not inherently increase gas consumption; instead, divers often find that they can stay down longer on any given tank of gas, making their dives more efficient overall. Therefore, increased gas consumption stands out as an incorrect association with the benefits of using Enriched Air Nitrox.