2005 Volume 67 Issue 3 Pages 80-89
A system was designed that could continuously measure rates of CO2 evolution and O2 uptake at fixed intervals under constant or variable environmental factors (i.e., temperature and concentration of CO2 and O2). This system performs ventilation and closing of the respiratory chamber alternately. The respiration rates were calculated from the changes in the amount of each gas in the closed chamber after it was ventilated. For each measurement of the respiration rates, the gaseous composition surrounding samples was considered constant because the changes in partial pressure during the time period of closing of the chamber never exceeded 0.5kPa CO2 or O2 due to automatic ventilation. The vapor pressure effect and amount of dissolved gas in the water of humidifier (i.e. aerator) were determined, and a modified equation was formed. Hence, the repeatability of measuring system was improved.
