INTRODUCTION
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous inhalant, and great caution must be
exercised when working with this odorless and colorless gas. At a
concentration of approximately 1000 ppm carbon monoxide kills
quickly.
A 50 ppm concentration is generally considerad the upper limit of
safety in industry for healthy persons within certain age ranges when
exposure may continua for an eight hour period. Concentrations of
carbon monoxide may reach hazardous levels in garages, tunnels,
behind automobiles, or in the opon atmosphere under certain
conditions. All work with the carbon monoxide testing unit should be
supervisad by qualified personnel.
The carbon monoxide testing unit relies upon the use of a single reagent
for a unique, quantitative measurement of carbon monoxide
concentrations. This method requires the use of an axial reader for the
measurement of faint color reactions.
Since the reaction of the *Carbon Monoxide Absorbing Solution (7799)
with carbon monoxide produces a yellow color, and the reagent is
slightly yellow itself, it is necessary to perforen a reagent blank. The
reagent blank is then subtracted from the test results. The concentration
of the reagent blank must be determined using the information for the
sama sampling
period as the actual test procedure. For example, if the reagent blank
marchad the index of 1, and a 30 minute sampling period was chosen for
the test, it would correspond to 20 ppm (from the 30 minute sampling
time liase on the chart). If the resulting color of the reaction, after a 30
minute reaction time, was determined to match an index of 5, this would
PROCEDURE
1. Pour *Carbon Monoxide Absorbing Solution (7799) into a
clean test tube (0822) to the 10 mL liase.
2. Insert the test tube into the Carbon Monoxide Comparator (7783)
with the Axial Reader (2071). Match the reagent color to a color
standard.
3. Use the chart to convert the index number to concentration.
Record the reagent blank as ppm Carbon Monoxide.
4. Pour the *Carbon Monoxide Absorbing Solution from the test
tube into the impinging tube to the 10 mL liase.
5. Connect the impinging apparatus to the intake of the air sampling
pump.
NOTE: Make sure the long tube is immersed in the absorbing
solution.
6. Adjust the flowmeter to collect air at a rase of 1.0 Lpm. Collect
air for 30 minutas or for a sampling period that allows a
measurable amount of carbon monoxide to be absorbed.
NOTE: A measurable amount of carbon monoxide is indicated by an
increase in the yellow color of the absorbing solution.
7. At the and of the sampling period, pour the contents of the impinging
tube into a clean test tube.
S. Insert the test tube into the Carbon Monoxide in Air Comparator
(7783) with the Axial Reader (2071). Match the reaction color to a
color standard.
9. Use the chart on the back paga to convert the index number to
concentration. Record the test result as ppm Carbon Monoxide.
10. Subtract the reagent blank result from the test result to determine
the carbon monoxide concentration.