Definition Issue: Desiccated (or dry) CO2 absorbers such as soda lime and Baralyme can degrade inhaled anesthetics to carbon monoxide, and my produce carboxyhemoglobin concentrations in excess of 30%. Mechanism: These CO2 absorbers contain strong bases (sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide) that can extract labile protons from anesthetic molecules, resulting in the production of CO. […]