Production of nitrogen dioxide in a delivery system for inhalation of nitric oxide: a new equation for calculation.

We have evaluated the kinetics of nitrogen dioxide production in a system for inhalation of nitric oxide. In addition to a small fraction of contamination of nitrogen dioxide in the nitric oxide stock gas, a considerable part of the total concentration of nitrogen dioxide is formed immediately after mixing of nitric oxide and oxygen. This initial build-up of nitrogen dioxide is followed by a linear, time-dependent increase in the concentration of nitrogen dioxide. An equation describing the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the delivery system is formulated: [NO2] = kA x [NO] + kB x [NO]2 x [O2] + kC x t x [NO]2 x [O2], where nitrogen dioxide [NO2] and nitric oxide [NO] concentrations are in parts per million (ppm), oxygen concentration [O2] is expressed as a percentage and contact time (t) is in seconds. The rate constants are kA = 5.12 x 10(-3), kB = 1.41 x 10(-6) and kC = 0.86 x 10(-6). Calculated nitrogen dioxide values correlated well with measured concentrations. This new finding of an initial build-up of nitrogen dioxide has to be taken into consideration if the conversion of nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide is to be calculated and in the safety guidelines for the use of nitric oxide.