March 9, 1943
Professor John H. Yoe
Cobb Chemical Laboratory
University of Virginia
University, Va.
Dear Professor Yoe:
Our belief that mixtures of air and carbon monoxide lose carbon monoxide on long standing over water is based on our
experience that a mixture made up to, say, 100 parts per million, after standing over water in a rubber-stoppered glass bottle
for times of the order of a week or so, produces negligible carbon monoxylation of oxyhemoglobin solutions, whereas a fresh
mixture of carbon monoxide of the same concentration reacts as expected. We have observed this occurrence a number of times
with mixtures ranging in 00 content from 100 to 500 p.p.m. but have not made any detailed study of the rate at which the carbon
monoxide concentration decreases. Our gas mixtures are made up to the desired concentration since we could make up the mixtures
with enough precision for our purpose.
We agree that more carbon-monoxide disappears than can be accounted for by solution in water, and are of the opinion
that the carbon monoxide reacts with water to produce 003 and hydrogen. The free energy change favors this reaction at room temperature. Whether the reaction is catalyzed by the glass-water
interface we do not know, but that is a possibility. I think it would be desireable [sic] to have rate measurements made,
and to try to correlate them with the glass-air and the glass-water surface available and perhaps with the iron content of
the glass. Our procedures are not well adapted to analysis of carbon monoxide gas mixtures since the rate of reaction with
oxyhemoglobin is so low. If you find it possible to put a man on the problem I shall be very much interested in the results
you obtain.
I regret that the information we have to offer is not more definite. Of there is anything further you would like to know
about our experience with this matter please do not hesitate to write.
Sincerely yours,
J. Norton Wilson
JNW:bb
