THE ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF HALOTHANE .2. REACTION IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN

The electrochemical reduction of mixtures of the inhalation anaesthetic halothane and oxygen was studied on silver and gold disc electrodes. A silver ring downstream from the disc electrode was used to monitor the flux of bromide ion, a product from the halothane reaction. Experiments at pH 13 show significant ring currents due to reaction of oxygen species; this is not so at pH 11, allowing deconvolution of the combined oxygen and halothane response. The oxygen and halothane reactions are shown to occur independently, with no cross-reaction between the oxygen and halothane species and no discernible change in the oxygen or halothane reduction reaction kinetics and mechanism. Concentrations of halothane and oxygen were measured accurately using this novel technique in the concentration range required for a clinical sensor.