The role of soda lime during administration of inhaled nitric oxide.

We have studied the ability of three commercially available preparations of soda lime to act as nitrogen dioxide scavengers during administration of inhaled nitric oxide. Soda lime, with a green to brown colour change (indicator = potassium permanganate), markedly reduced concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, but also markedly reduced inhaled concentrations of nitric oxide. The other varieties of soda lime, with colour changes from pink to white (indicator = kenazol yellow) or white to violet (indicator = ethyl violet), produced little effect on concentrations of nitrogen dioxide. None of the above soda limes can be recommended for use as a nitrogen dioxide scavenger during administration of inhaled nitric oxide.