Medical Oxygen O2 | Oxygen therapy | Coregas Australia | Industrial, Medical And Specialty Gases | Coregas Australia

Medical Oxygen

Medical grade gas for therapeutic treatment in humans and animals. Available in a range of sizes as a compressed gas or cryogenic liquid.


Oxygen therapy — also known as supplemental oxygen — is the use of oxygen as a medical treatment, e.g. for low blood oxygen, carbon monoxide toxicity, cluster headaches, or to maintain enough oxygen while inhaled anaesthetics are given. Long term oxygen is often useful in people with chronically low oxygen, such as from severe COPD or cystic fibrosis. Medical oxygen can be given in a number of ways, e.g. via nasal cannula, face mask, or inside a hyperbaric chamber.

However, high concentrations of oxygen can cause oxygen toxicity such as lung damage or result in respiratory failure in those who are predisposed. It can also dry out the nose and increase the risk of fires in those who smoke.

Accordingly, the target medical oxygen saturation recommended depends on the condition being treated. In most conditions, a saturation of 94-98% is recommended, while in those at risk of carbon dioxide retention saturations of 88-92% are preferred, and in those with carbon monoxide toxicity or cardiac arrest, they should be as high as possible. Air is typically 21% oxygen by volume. Medical oxygen is also required by people for proper cell metabolism.

Commonly used in medicine since 1917, medical oxygen is on the World Health Organization's Model List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. Healthcare professionals and organisations who use medical oxygen include doctors, dentists, nurses, veterinarians, anaesthetists, respiratory specialists, dermatologists, hospitals and day surgeries.


  • Life support
  • Human respiration
  • Modern anaesthetic techniques
  • Artificial ventilation


Steel cylinders contain a substantial quantity of ferromagnetic material and MUST NOT be used in proximity to MRIs under any circumstances. When medical gas cylinders are intended for use in a room where magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being performed, the cylinders and associated equipment must be considered to contain ferromagnetic materials.

Coregas is the only Australian industrial gas company delivering medical oxygen supplies to health practitioners around the country. We recommend that the standard safety protocols for determining what materials may be brought into proximity with an MRI are applied to all gas cylinders and equipment.

How to use Coregas Integrated Valve Regulator (Coregas IVR)

Product Summary

Gas composition

  • Oxygen ≥ 99.5%


Moisture ≤ 67 ppm
Carbon monoxide ≤ 5 ppm
Carbon dioxide ≤ 300 ppm

Compressed gas sizes

UN number: 1072

Download safety data sheet


C 202172 0.57 6.76 19,000 Pin index fig. 2, 5 Australia wide Download
C FW 202175 0.61 3.9 19,000 Pin index fig. 2, 5 Australia wide Download
C IVR 202178 0.63 4.4 20,000 Fir tree or DIO/SIS outlet Australia wide Download
D 202110 1.9 16.5 19,000 Pin index fig. 2, 5 Australia wide Download
SE 202122 4.3 38.82 19,000 Pin index fig. 2, 5 Australia wide Download
SG 202150 10 73.98 19,000 Pin index fig. 2, 5 Australia wide Download
6-pack 202506 60 598.89 19,000 Pin index fig. 2, 5 Australia wide Download
12-pack 202512 120 1162.79 19,000 Pin index fig. 2, 5 Australia wide Download

Cryogenic liquid sizes

UN number: 1073

Download safety data sheet


Size Product code Availability Cert. of conformance
Bulk 202901 Australia wide Download
Additional Details

Physical & chemical properties

Appearance Odour Flammability
AppearanceColourless gas OdourOdourless FlammabilityNon flammable

Hazard class


Hazard symbol (GHS)

  • Non-flammable non-toxic gas 2.2
  • Oxidising Agent 5.1


What about other gases?

Download our brochure Gases for the Healthcare Sector to learn more about our complete gas range for healthcare organisations and how we can customise our supply services for your needs.


  • What is medical oxygen?

    ​​Medical oxygen is pure oxygen developed for medical treatments for the human body. It is considered non-toxic at atmospheric pressure and is used to treat both chronic and acute medical cases. It is a tasteless, odourless, colourless gas essential for human respiration. Medical oxygen is used in anaesthesia as a carrier gas for the delivery of anaesthetic agents to the body's tissues.

    In respiratory therapy treatments, medical oxygen cylinders are used to increase the amount of oxygen and decrease the concentration of other gases circulating in the blood. Medical oxygen is also widely used in high altitude, underwater breathing, and hyperbaric chambers.

  • What is the difference between commercial oxygen and medical oxygen?

    The difference between commercial oxygen and medical oxygen is how it can be used. Medical oxygen is in the form that we use to maintain our body’s oxygen level.
    With about 21% oxygen in our atmosphere, our body does not function if we don’t have enough oxygen in our blood. Medical oxygen is used to elevate our body’s oxygen concentration. In contrast, commercial oxygen is produced in the form of oxygen needed for industrial applications such as chemical labs — the same level of purity or concentration is not necessarily required.

    Please remember that commercial or industrial oxygen CAN NOT be used as a replacement for medical oxygen.

  • What is medical oxygen used for?

    Medical oxygen has various healthcare applications. It is used to provide anaesthetic treatments, restore tissue oxygen tension, aid resurrection, provide life support, and aid cardiovascular stability. Medical oxygen is used to improve oxygen availability in COPD, cyanosis, shock, severe haemorrhage, carbon monoxide poisoning, major trauma and cardiac or respiratory arrest.

  • Why should I buy medical oxygen cylinders from Coregas?

    Coregas is a locally-based industrial gas company offering medical oxygen cylinders to Australia and New Zealand. With over 44 years of experience in the industrial gases sector, we have established ourselves as the trusted leaders in specialty gases and gas equipment used in research, production, manufacturing, and healthcare.

  • How can I buy medical oxygen supplies from Coregas?

    If you’re looking to buy medical oxygen supplies in Australia or New Zealand, you can simply put across an order request through our website. You can buy medical oxygen directly via an online account, the Coregas app, or a local distributor. If you have any questions and want to learn more about our products, get in touch with us, and we’ll be happy to help.

  • Which other speciality gases are available at Coregas?

    Specialty gases are high-purity, high-precision gas products. They are used in a variety of manufacturing, research and healthcare applications. As industrial gas experts, we offer a range of specialty gases, including calibration gasses, chemical gasses, electronic gasses, instrumentation gasses, and process gasses.