A Computer-Assisted Electrode System for Measuring Blood pH, pO2, pCO2, Sodium, and Potassium

Abstract

Abstract An experimental automatic electrode system was constructed to determine the feasibility of making routine determinations of blood pH, pO2, pCO2, sodium, and potassium in intensive care units. The equipment standardizes itself automatically every 25 min, and is self-cleaning after a blood specimen has been analyzed. The analyzer is connected on-line to an IBM 1800 computer on an interrupt basis. There was no significant difference between the results for pH, pO2, and pCO2 obtained with this machine and those by manual methods. The precision obtainable for the five determinations is given. The relationship between blood and plasma sodium and potassium activities determined with the glass electrodes and plasma sodium and potassium concentrations determined by flame photometry is discussed.