Abstract: The present invention provides a test carrier for the analytical determination of a component of a liquid sample, especially of a body fluid, with a carrier layer, which is partly covered by a liquid-absorbing layer which contains a sample application zone and a transport zone, and a reagent layer which is in contact with the liquid-absorbing layer, wherein the reagent layer in contact with the liquid-absorbing layer is so arranged that it does not overlap with the sample application zone and is full-facedly in contact with the liquid-absorbing layer.

Abstract: An oxygen sensor is provided for determination of the partial pressure of oxygen. In one aspect, the invention consists of oxygen-quenchable luminescent lanthanide complexes for an oxygen sensor. The complexes are oxygen-quenchable even though immobilized in a solid matrix, such as a solid polymeric matrix, and preferably are terbium complexes of Schiff base or .beta.-diketone ligands. Certain preferred processes are described for improving the oxygen sensitivity of the lanthanide complexes. In another aspect, the invention consists of a combination measuring and reference analyte sensor containing both quenchable and nonquenchable luminescent materials. The materials luminesce at different wavelengths and thus may be transmitted together down a single optical fiber and later discriminated by means of filters and separtely detected. In a third aspect, the invention consists of a low-noise phosphorescent analyte sensor employing a gatable detector.

Abstract: Apparatus for the production of higher chloromethanes, i.e, CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2, CHCl.sub.3 and CCl.sub.4, by chlorinating methyl chloride with chlorine in a first reaction zone A, chlorinating at least one of the higher chloromethanes CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 and CHCl.sub.3 with chlorine in a parallel second reaction zone B, combining the reaction products from the first and second reaction zones A and B, separating higher chloromethanes from the combined reaction prodcuts, and recycling at least one of the separated higher chloromethanes CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 and CHCl.sub.3 as chlorination feed to the second reaction zone B.