Quantification and Removal of Some Contaminating Gases from Acetylene Used to Study Gas-Utilizing Enzymes and Microorganisms

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Abstract
Acetylene generated from various grades of calcium carbide and obtained from commercial- and purified-grade acetylene cylinders was shown to contain high concentrations of various contaminants. Dependent on the source of acetylene, these included, at maximal values, H 2 (0.023%), O 2 (0.779%), N 2 (3.78%), PH 3 (0.06%), CH 4 (0.073%), and acetone (1 to 10%). The concentration of the contaminants in cylinder acetylene was highly dependent on the extent of cylinder discharge. Several conventional methods used to partially purify cylinder acetylene were compared. A small-scale method for extensively purifying acetylene is described. An effect of acetylene quality on acetylene reduction assays conducted with purified nitrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii was demonstrated.