Carbon Monoxide

The WGS reaction is an exothermic reaction between carbon monoxide and steam to form carbon dioxide and hydrogen. This reaction, which has been used industrially for more than 100 years, has recently received a great deal of attention from researchers as one of the ways to produce environmentally acceptable hydrogen from fossil fuels in large quantities. For the application of this reaction on an industrial scale, the key is choosing the optimal catalysts that can ensure high CO conversion and have a long lifetime under industrial conditions. Therefore, new types of catalysts are being developed that meet these requirements better than the Fe- and Cu-based catalysts commonly used in the past. The WGSR on a commercial nickel-based catalyst and a laboratory-prepared copper- and cobalt-based catalyst was tested in a laboratory apparatus set up at the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague. The best performance of the laboratory-prepared catalyst was observed for the catalyst wit...

Identifying a potent biomarker for smoking cessation can play a key role in predicting prognosis and improving treatment outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of new biomarkers based on the levels of Cotinine (Cot) and carbon monoxide (CO) to the short-and long-term quit rates of nicotine replacement therapies (Nicotine Patch [NP] and Nicotine Lozenge [NL]). Methods: In this prospective interventional study, 124 smokers under treatment with the 5A's method were selected from an outpatient smoking cessation center in district 18 of Tehran City, Iran. The study was conducted from April 2016 to December 2018. They were divided into NP (n=56) and NL (n=61) intervention groups. The levels of Cot and CO were measured using ELISA and breath analysis at the beginning of the study. Three markers were calculated: Cot/ CO, Cot to cigarette per day ratio (Cot/CPD), and CO/CPD. Binary logistic regression models and generalized estimating equations models were analyzed by SPSS software, version 21 to determine the chances of quitting smoking. Results: Of the NP participants, 30.4% and 19.6% were abstinent after 2 and 6 months, respectively, while NL was found less effective with 19.7% for 2-month follow-up and 13.1% for 6-month follow-up. The 6-month success of quitting attempts was significantly different for the NP participants at the second half of Cot/CO (P=0.029). Of the NL participants, CO/CPD would be a superior predictor for smoking cessation success (P>0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggested two markers of Cot/CO and CO/CPD in this order for the optimum treatment outcomes of NP and NL.