The CO2 Analysis laboratory package may be used to measure respiration in insects maintained in an insect cuvette attached to an open flow gas exchange system. Initially, a gas bag is filled with lab air to serve as a stable gas source of known CO2 concentration. This is necessary because the CO2 concentration of the lab air will be changing constantly during the period of the experiment due to human resparation in the laboratory!
The CO2 concentration in the air in the bag is measured with the infra-red gas analyzer (IRGA). This air is then pumped through the insect chamber at a known flow rate. The concentration in the gas from the insect cuvette is measured using the IRGA and the difference between this and the input (bag) gas is used to calculate respiration rate.
| Support and funding provided by: |
 |
 |
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation |
Instrumentation manufactured by: |
 |