Using amsorb to detect dehydration of CO2 absorbents containing strong base

Because Amsorb changes color when it dries, the authors investigated whether Amsorb combined with different strong base-containing carbon dioxide absorbents signals dehydration of such absorbents.

Five different carbon dioxide absorbents (1,330 g) each topped with 70 g of Amsorb were dried in an anesthesia machine (Modulus CD, Datex-Ohmeda, Madison, WI) with oxygen (Amsorb layer at the fresh gas inflow site). As soon as a color change was detected in the Amsorb, the authors tested the samples for a change in weight and carbon monoxide formation from 7.5% desflurane or 4% isoflurane. In a different experiment with the five absorbents, Amsorb was layered at the drying gas outflow site. In further experiments, the authors tested for a color change in Amsorb from drying and rehydrating and from drying with nitrogen. Finally, they dried a mixture of Amsorb and 1% NaOH and examined it for color change.

In the experiments with Amsorb layered at the inflow, the Amsorb changed color when the water content of the samples was only marginally reduced (to a mean 13.6%), and no carbon monoxide formed. With Amsorb layered at the outflow, it changed color when the mean water content of the samples was reduced to 8.8%, and carbon monoxide formation was detected to varying degrees. The color change was independent of the drying gas and could be reversed by rehydrating. Adding NaOH to Amsorb prevented a color change.

Dehydration in strong base-containing absorbents can reliably be indicated before carbon monoxide is formed when Amsorb is layered at the fresh gas inflow. The authors assume that the indicator dye in Amsorb changes color on drying because of the absence of strong base in this absorbent.