The microdetermination of nitrogen in organic compounds by the rapid combustion process

Abstract

A method is described for the microdetermination of nitrogen in organic compounds which is based on the rapid combustion process. The sample is burned in a fast stream of carbon dioxide-oxygen mixture in a tube provided with an empty combustion chamber. The products formed are led over hot copper, thus removing excess of oxygen and reducing the nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen is swept out with the transport gas into a nitrometer, collected over potash solution and measured. A single determination may be completed in about 20 minutes, which includes the cooling period of the nitrogen prior to measuring the volume. Compounds which burn only with difficulty when subjected to thePregl-Dumas procedure have been analysed satisfactorily by the new method.