Application-level market taxonomy reveals demand heterogeneity driven by reimbursement patterns and safety regulation. In adult inpatient surgery, high fresh-gas flows (>2 L min⁻¹) still dominate emerging markets, driving absorbent volumes up 25 % faster than procedure growth. Conversely, paediatric and neonatal anaesthesia mandates minimal-flow techniques, extending canister life and shifting value toward premium chemistries that avoid heat accumulation. Emergency and transport ventilation—including military and air-ambulance platforms—prioritises lightweight cartridges; lithium-based inserts capture <7 % volume yet contribute >15 % segment value. Diagnostic sedation suites (endoscopy, cath-labs) generate episodic, low-flow usage, fostering single-use prepacks that command 40 % gross margin. Finally, veterinary teaching hospitals mirror human protocol adoption, providing a stable, price-sensitive offset that buffers manufacturers against hospital capital-expenditure cycles. Aggregate share dynamics are illustrated below.