title: Quantification and removal of some contaminating gases from acetylene used to study gas-utilizing enzymes and microorganisms.
abstract: Acetylene generated from various grades of calcium carbide and obtained from commercial- and purified-grade acetylene cylinders was shown to contain high concentrations of various contaminants. Dependent on the source of acetylene, these included, at maximal values, H(2) (0.023%), O(2) (0.779%), N(2) (3.78%), PH(3) (0.06%), CH(4) (0.073%), and acetone (1 to 10%). The concentration of the contaminants in cylinder acetylene was highly dependent on the extent of cylinder discharge. Several conventional methods used to partially purify cylinder acetylene were compared. A small-scale method for extensively purifying acetylene is described. An effect of acetylene quality on acetylene reduction assays conducted with purified nitrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii was demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hyman
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Arp