What common situation can lead to hypercapnia?

Hypercapnia, which is the condition of having elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, can commonly occur due to improper placement of the compressor inlet. When a compressor is wrongly positioned, especially if it's drawing air from an area that has a high concentration of exhaled breaths or polluted air, it can inadvertently mix carbon dioxide from the environment into the breathing gas supplied to the diver. This situation can lead to an insufficient supply of fresh, oxygen-rich air and an accumulation of CO2, which when inhaled, can result in hypercapnia.

Other factors, such as increased oxygen partial pressure, lack of hydration, and increased ambient water temperature, may impact divers’ physiology or performance, but they are not directly linked to causing hypercapnia the way that an improperly placed compressor inlet can be. For example, while increased oxygen partial pressure could potentially lead to oxygen toxicity, and dehydration might cause various physical effects during diving, these scenarios do not specifically relate to the elevation of carbon dioxide levels within the body.