ABSTRACT
The measurement of carbon dioxide in the ambient air is a primary concern of the geophysicist rather than of the air pollution control engineer. The precise measurement of the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere is of significant concern in determining long-term changes in the composition of the atmosphere. In air pollution, carbon dioxide is hardly ever measured in the ambient air. Measurement of the carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and oxygen concentration of flue gases from boilers has been done for many years. Before the use of the infrared analyzer became accepted practice, mechanical instruments were used to continuously determine the carbon dioxide content of flue gases. Their operation was based on the reduction in gas volume resulting from the absorption of carbon dioxide in a strong alkaline solution. The instruments used to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are, of necessity, highly precise.
