The amounts of carbon monoxide evolved during analytical absorptions of oxygen by alkaline pyrogallol were studied with respect to the composition and methods of preparing solutions, the temperature of reaction, the rate of flow of the sample through the solution, the capacity of the reagent for the absorption of oxygen, the partial pressure of reacting oxygen, and the manner of bringing the gas into contact with the reagent. Less than 0.02 percent of carbon monoxide was formed during analyses

more »

... f gases containing as much as 80 percent of oxygen when the recommended solutions were used in bubbler-type absorption pipettes, and when the samples were passed into the solutions at a rate greater than 20 milliliters per minute at about 25° C. This was true until the solutions had absorbed approximately twelve times their volume of oxygen, after which the formation of carbon monoxide increased significantly. The NBS colorimetric carbon monoxide indicating gel was used for the quantitative determinations of carbon monoxide. A method was developed for preparing pyrogallol solutions that yielded reproducible amounts of carbon monoxide so small that no significant error was caused in the usual analysis. 10 0 o