Solubility of Freon 22 in human blood and lung tissue.

The solubility of Freon 22 in human blood and lung tissue was determined using the chromatographic method of Wagner et al. (J. Appl. Physiol. 36: 600-605, 1974). In normal human blood, the mean Bunsen coefficient of solubility (alpha B) was 0.804 cm3 STPD.cm-3.ATA-1 at 37 degrees C. It increased with hematocrit (Hct) according to the equation alpha B = 0.274 Hct + 0.691. Tissue homogenates were prepared from macroscopically normal lung pieces obtained at thoracotomy from eight patients undergoing resection for lung carcinoma. The Bunsen solubility coefficients were 0.537 +/- 0.068 and 0.635 +/- 0.091 in washed and unwashed lung, respectively. These values can be used in the determination of both cardiac output and pulmonary tissue volume in humans by use of the rebreathing technique.