Medical Gases

#166 - Analysis of CO₂ in Nitrous Oxide
Approximately 85-90% of the nitrous oxide produced domestically is sold to and used by the medical/dental professions as a mild form of anesthesia. It causes a temporary euphoria, and is sometimes called “Laughing Gas”. Smaller users of N₂O include the aerosol industry, where N₂O is a propellant, and the semiconductor industry.

As a product that is administered to patients, N₂O is a medical gas and considered a drug. It is monitored closely by the FDA, with analytical procedures and specifications that must meet the strict standards of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). The USP specifies purity (assay) as well as impurity (speciation) specs for every medical gas and medical device produced by industry.

One of the impurities of interest in nitrous oxide is carbon dioxide (CO₂). The GOW-MAC 590 System III Discharge Ionization Detector (DID)* Gas Chromatograph is an ideal candidate for the detection and quantitation of atmospheric gas impurities in nitrous oxide.

The DID is non-radioactive, universal and concentration dependent detector. With a dynamic linear range of 5 ppb to < 1% by volume, the DID was engineered for gas standard certification at 1 - 10 ppm levels of purity. It is suitable for applications involving industrial, hydrocarbon and electronic gases.

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Medical Gas Analysis
Both the Series 400MGA and the Series 580 MGA Analyzers are rugged thermal conductivity based instruments that are configured for the rapid analysis and quality control of medical gases. Methods are based upon NF (National Formulary), USP (U.S. Pharmacopia), or GOW-MAC Instrument Co., supplied FDA Validation Report.

Complete application documentation, method development and test chromatograms are included with the system.

Applications

• Nitrous Oxide Assay (USP)
• Nitrogen Assay (EP)
• Helium (EP)
• Carbon Dioxide (USP or GOW-MAC supplied FDA Validation
• Lung DIffusion Mixtures
• Clinical Blood Gases
• Laser Gases

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