The analysis of nitrous oxide for physiological work / by Walter M. Boothby and Irene Sandiford.

  • Walter M. Boothby
Date:
[1915?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The analysis of nitrous oxide for physiological work / by Walter M. Boothby and Irene Sandiford. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    before entering the burette and combusted directly without go¬ ing into the potash or pyrogallic pipettes; the other six samples were combusted directly without ever being brought into con¬ tact with the potash or pyrogallic. Sample I Entering potash and pyrogallic tubes, then combusting Sample II Bubbling first through pyrogallic and then com¬ busting directly Samples III to VIII Combusting directly without coming into contact with either potash or pyrogallic o o per cent . 0.21 per cent N20. per cent . 98.8 N20. . 99.1 n2o. . 97.6 o2. . 0.57 n2o. . 97.9 n2o. . 98.5 n2o. . 97.28 n2o. . 98.4 Total. . 98.1 N20. . 98.6 n2o.. . 98.3 As the total contraction of samples I and II fall within the vari¬ ations shown by samples III to VIII it is evident that the nitrous oxide contains no appreciable trace of oxygen; for by the combus¬ tion method with hydrogen, if oxygen were present, its contrac¬ tion volume would be three times its actual volume and the above agreement would be impossible if there were any appreciable amount of oxygen present in the samples. The method does not admit of the determination of less than 0.1 per cent of oxygen. The presence of an appreciable amount of carbon dioxide is ruled out by passing the gas through baryta water. Therefore we feel justified in concluding that the tank from which the above samples of nitrous oxide were obtained con¬ tained per cent nitrous oxide and IrF-per cent nitrogen (argon or other noncombustible gases) with no appreciable amount of carbon dioxide or oxygen. The method is particularly serviceable for analyzing commer¬ cial nitrous oxide used for anaesthetic purposes when the propor¬ tions of nitrous oxide, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen are desired; it is not suitable for detecting traces of these or other contaminating gases.
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