Determination of binary diffusion coefficients of various gas species used in respiratory physiology

In order to provide data required for quantitative analysis of gas diffusion in lung airways, diffusion of He, CO, O2, CO2 and SF6 in various gases used in respiratory physiology was studied in vitro at 37 degrees C and 25 degrees C. The gases were allowed to mix by diffusion in a closed cylindrical tube (length 2 m, internal diameter 1 cm), one half of which was initially filled with 1% test gas in a second gas and the other half of which was filled with the second gas only. Kinetics of diffusional equilibration was determined by withdrawal of spot samples analyzed by gas chromatography. The binary (mutual) diffusion coefficients (D) computed there from were in most cases in good agreement with values calculated on the basis of the Chapman-Enskog theory.