Carbon dioxide loss chromatography

Methane loss was usually small (5-20% ) for reasonable amounts of water formation (AP = 5-20 mm. Hg), so that the initial ratio —d[RH]/ d[H20] could be taken as A[RH]/A[H20] with sufficient accuracy for the analytical treatment discussed below. With computer interpretation, increased accuracy is possible if the initial concentrations of the various reactants are replaced by their mean concentrations during the reaction period. Because it was not considered sufficiently accurate to measure small differences by gas chromatography, the extent of oxidation was determined by oxidizing all the products to carbon dioxide, which was then measured (6). Because of the absence of any significant effect of methane on the rate, concentrations of methane up to 3% were sometimes used instead of the normal 1%. 

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