The Severinghaus electrode is an electrode that measures carbon dioxide (CO2). It was developed by Dr. John W. Severinghaus and his technician A. Freeman Bradley in 1958.
It utilizes a CO2-sensitive glass electrode in a surrounding film of bicarbonate solution covered by a thin plastic carbon dioxide permeable membrane, but impermeable to water and electrolytic solutes. The carbon dioxide pressure of a sample gas or liquid equilibrates through the membrane and the glass electrode measures the resulting pH of the bicarbonate solution.
CO2 + H2O <=> H2CO3 <=> HCO3- + H+
Clark, galvanic, and paramagnetic electrodes measure oxygen. Severinghaus electrode measures . Sanz electrode measures pH.
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