Acidic gases, collection from coal-fired

See also Acid precipitation Acidic gases, collection from coal-fired power plants, 84-91 Acridine, nitrogen contents, 305 Acridine char... 

Methane from Sodium Acetate.— Acetic acid, as we shall understand before we have proceeded far in our study, is a compound related to methane. When the sodium salt of this acid, i.e., sodium acetate, is heated it loses carbon dioxide, CO2, and methane is produced. In practice this heating is carried out in the presence of an alkali, e.g., calcium or sodium hydroxide, which absorbs the carbon dioxide, and in this way assists in the reaction. In order that we may not be troubled by the presence of water, dry materials are used, the sodium acetate being fused to obtain it free of water. When this dry sodium acetate is heated with a mixture of sodium and calcium hydroxides, known as soda-lime, a gas is produced which may be collected over water. The gas so made is methane and is identical with that found naturally as marsh gas and as a constituent of fire damp, natural gas, coal gas and petroleum. 

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