Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Direct mass spectrometric determination of atmospheric carbon dioxide

Journal Article · · Anal. Chem.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac60262a003· OSTI ID:6437682
The direct mass spectrometric determination of atmospheric carbon dioxide cannot be performed with any useful degree of accuracy because of the high concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere. By removing the oxygen with phosphorus, it is possible to admit sufficiently high pressures of the remaining gas to determine the carbon dioxide with an inaccuracy of less than 1%. Because the argon content of the atmosphere is presumed constant, a direct comparison of the carbon dioxide to argon ratio should provide a fixed reference for future surveys. The method is rapid and requires little equipment other than a mass spectrometer. Results obtained on analysis of rural air in the vicinity of Washington, DC, are presented.
Research Organization:
National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
OSTI ID:
6437682
Journal Information:
Anal. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: Anal. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 40:6; ISSN ANCHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English