Emulsions of perfluorinated compounds for use in quality control of blood gas analyses

We prepared emulsions of perfluorinated compounds and examined their utility as liquid matrixes for tonometry in quality control of blood pH and gas analyses. Emulsions of perfluorotributylamine and perfluorodecalin, prepared by sonication, consisted largely of particles not exceeding 0.2 micrometer in diameter. Unlike most aqueous solutions these materials were not easily contaminated by room air and can be reliably used for tonometry liquids. Results for pCO2 and pO2 agreed well with calculated values. Average day-to-day coefficients of variation for emulsions of perfluorotributylamine were 2.9% for pH (within the range 7.11-7.60), 4.4% for pCO2 (2.88-9.17 kPa), and 1.6% for pO2 (7.76-40.67 kPa).