Besides the commercial aspects such as price and supply, nitrogen is a tasteless and odorless gas with inert properties, meaning it lacks chemical or biological reactivity and does not interact with other elements or gases. Consequently, it does not provoke aversive reactions.

There are well-documented animal welfare hazards related to carbon dioxide such as provoking aversive reactions like respiratory distress and burning sensation. Carbon dioxide is an acidic gas that when inhaled, reacts with water molecules in the mucosal tissues forming carbonic acid, causing irritation of the nasal mucosa and the induction of unconsciousness is associated with breathlessness and hyperventilation.