We have measured concentrations of volatile anaesthetics after injection into test-tube assay solutions. In non-agitated tubes, aqueous anaesthetic concentrations decreased significantly throughout 40 min of incubation. Agitation (20-s vortex) of the tubes decreased the aqueous anaesthetic concentration by approximately 80% from concentrations in non-agitated tubes and resulted in more stable liquid anaesthetic concentrations over time. A decrease of less than 15% occurred between 10 and 50 min of incubation.