Leakage of oxygen from blood and water samples stored in plastic and glass syringes

Theory and experiment showed that samples of blood and water stored in 2-ml and 5-ml syringes made of polypropylene, polystyrene, or S.A.N. co-polymer exchanged oxygen with their surroundings. In the first hour the exchange was due mainly to equilibration with the plastic of the syringe and only in small degree to permeation through the plastic. With high initial tension or with blood of low haemoglobin concentration the exchange can result in errors in Po(2) of up to 6% in two minutes and 16% in 30 to 60 minutes. With all-glass syringes the exchange was much slower but, even so, after 24 hours was important in all but a few of 18 interchangeable glass syringes. Therefore unless analysis can be started immediately all-glass syringes are to be preferred, and for prolonged storage even these should be selected.