The analysis of trace amounts of carbon monoxide.

Abstract Carbon monoxide in amounts of 1×10-10 -5×10-9 moles have been analyzed for by means of a specially constructed gas chromatograph employing a suitable sampler, molecular sieve column and a glow discharge detector. The importance in pollution studies of an efficacious method of analysis for carbon monoxide is obvious. Gas chromatography is suitable for the analysis of small amounts of volatile substances. However, the analysis of trace amounts of carbon monoxide by this method is difficult. The commercially available ionization detectors do not respond well to it, while the thermal conductivity one is not sensitive enough. We have encountered this problem in the analysis of trace amounts of carbon monoxide in the presence of excess of ketones and alcohols, and have constructed a special apparatus for that purpose. The apparatus consisted of two main parts 1) a sampler, into which the contents of the mixture were transferred and diluted with nitrogen to one atmosphere, and 1–5 cc samples were withdr...