N2 28.01

Nitrogen.
Nitrogen [7727-37-9].

Packaging and storage— Preserve in cylinders.

USP Reference standards 11— USP Nitrogen RS. USP Oxygen–Helium RS.NF24

(Postponed indefinitely)NF24

Identification— Prepare a gas chromatograph as directed in the Assay, and inject USP Nitrogen RS and the nitrogen sample into the gas chromatograph. The retention time of the major peak in the chromatogram of the nitrogen sample corresponds to that in the chromatogram of the USP Nitrogen RS.NF24

Odor— Carefully open the container valve to produce a moderate flow of gas. Do not direct the gas stream toward the face, but deflect a portion of the stream toward the nose: no appreciable odor is discernible.

Carbon monoxide— Pass 1000 ± 50 mL through a carbon monoxide detector tube (see under Reagents in the section Reagents, Indicators, and Solutions) at the rate specified for the tube: the indicator change corresponds to not more than 0.001%.

Limit of oxygen— Not more than 1.0% of oxygen is present, determined as directed in the Assay.

Assay— Introduce a specimen of Nitrogen into a gas chromatograph by means of a gas sampling valve. Select the operating conditions of the gas chromatograph such that the standard peak signal resulting from the following procedure corresponds to not less than 70% of the full-scale reading. Preferably, use an apparatus corresponding to the general type in which the column is 3 m in length and 4 mm in inside diameter and is packed with a molecular sieve prepared from a synthetic alkali-metal aluminosilicate capable of absorbing molecules having diameters of up to 0.5 nm, which permit complete separation of oxygen from nitrogen. Use industrial grade helium (99.99%) as the carrier gas, with a thermal-conductivity detector, and control the column temperature: the peak response produced by the assay specimen exhibits a retention time corresponding to that produced by the USP Oxygen–Helium RS,NF24 and is equivalent to not more than 1.0% of oxygen when compared to the peak response of the USP Oxygen–Helium RS,NF24 indicating not less than 99.0%, by volume, of N2.

Expert Committee : (AER05) Aerosols05

USP29–NF24 Page 3380

Phone Number : 1-301-816-8269