SEDL / STP / STP539-EB / STP36536S

Techniques for the Analysis of Gases Sequentially Released from Lunar Samples

DesMarais, DJ
Research assistant, Department of geology, assistant professor geology, Department of Chemistry, and professor of geology, Indiana University, Bloomington,

Hayes, JM
Research assistant, Department of geology, assistant professor geology, Department of Chemistry, and professor of geology, Indiana University, Bloomington,

Meinschein, WG
Research assistant, Department of geology, assistant professor geology, Department of Chemistry, and professor of geology, Indiana University, Bloomington,

Pages: 9    Published: Jan 1973

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Abstract

This paper describes two methods for the analysis of light gases that are sequentially evolved from 2 to 10 mg of lunar sample. A hydrofluoric acid hydrolysis of lunar material is achieved by repeated exposure of the sample to hydrogen fluoride. In the second technique, gases are evolved from lunar samples by the stepwise heating of these samples to 1400° C. The gases evolved by either hydrolysis or pyrolysis are analyzed in a gas chromatographic system using a helium ionization detector. The sensitivities of this detector for the gases, as analyzed, range from 2 X 10^{−1 1} g/s for hydrogen to 2 × 10^{−1 3} g/s for carbon dioxide.