Described herein is an improved conversion of nitrous oxide (N.sub.2O) present as a by-product in a chemical process to NO.sub.x which can be further converted to a useful compound or material, such as nitric acid.

A nitric oxide delivery system, which includes a gas bottle having nitrogen dioxide in air, converts nitrogen dioxide to nitric oxide and employs a surface-active material, such as silica gel, coated with an aqueous solution of antioxidant, such as ascorbic acid. A nitric oxide delivery system may be used to generate therapeutic gas including nitric oxide for use in delivering the therapeutic gas to a mammal.

A nitric oxide delivery system, which includes a gas bottle having nitrogen dioxide in air, converts nitrogen dioxide to nitric oxide and employs a surface-active material, such as silica gel, coated with an aqueous solution of antioxidant, such as ascorbic acid. A nitric oxide delivery system may be used to generate therapeutic gas including nitric oxide for use in delivering the therapeutic gas to a mammal.

A nitric oxide delivery system can include a cassette which is a single use disposable component used to store liquid N.sub.2O.sub.4, activate upon operator demand, convert N.sub.2O.sub.4 to NO.sub.2 via a heating element(s) controlled by a console to deliver NO.sub.2 at a controlled flow rate, direct concentrated NO.sub.2 to a contained pair of conversion cartridges and exhaust NO gas to the console for delivery to the patient.

A nitric oxide delivery system can include a cassette which is a single use disposable component used to store liquid N.sub.2O.sub.4, activate upon operator demand, convert N.sub.2O.sub.4 to NO.sub.2 via a heating element(s) controlled by a console to deliver NO.sub.2 at a controlled flow rate, direct concentrated NO.sub.2 to a contained pair of conversion cartridges and exhaust NO gas to the console for delivery to the patient.

Described herein is an improved conversion of nitrous oxide (N.sub.2O) present as a by-product in a chemical process to NO.sub.x which can be further converted to a useful compound or material, such as nitric acid.

Described herein is an improved conversion of nitrous oxide (N.sub.2O) present as a by-product in a chemical process to NO.sub.x which can be further converted to a useful compound or material, such as nitric acid.

Various systems, devices, NO.sub.2 absorbents, NO.sub.2 scavengers and NO.sub.2 recuperator for generating nitric oxide are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, an apparatus for converting nitrogen dioxide to nitric oxide can include a receptacle including an inlet, an outlet, a surface-active material coated with an aqueous solution of ascorbic acid and an absorbent wherein the inlet is configured to receive a gas flow and fluidly communicate the gas flow to the outlet through the surface-active material and the absorbent such that nitrogen dioxide in the gas flow is converted to nitric oxide.

Various systems, devices, NO.sub.2 absorbents, NO.sub.2 scavengers and NO.sub.2 recuperator for generating nitric oxide are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, an apparatus for converting nitrogen dioxide to nitric oxide can include a receptacle including an inlet, an outlet, a surface-active material coated with an aqueous solution of ascorbic acid and an absorbent wherein the inlet is configured to receive a gas flow and fluidly communicate the gas flow to the outlet through the surface-active material and the absorbent such that nitrogen dioxide in the gas flow is converted to nitric oxide.

The invention proposes the photosensitized generation of nitric oxide (NO) from alanosine (3-(hydroxynitrosoamino)-D,L-alanine) by aluminum phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (AlPcS4). While NO is obtained in nitrogen-saturated solutions, the invention proposes that both NO and peroxynitrite are produced in air-saturated solutions. Enhancement of NO production occurs in the presence of ubiquinone-0. The invention evidence that NO is produced by the photosensitized oxidation of alanosine. Both NO and peroxynitrite are detected during photoirradiation of AlPcS4 in the presence of 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (MNP) and hypoxanthine, but not in the absence of hypoxanthine, in air-saturated solutions, where HX is acting as sacrificial electron donor, thus promoting superoxide formation.