On the reasons for the discrepancies in the data on methanol adsorption on platinum

In the voluminous and valuable information obtained by the radioactive tracers method on the adsorption of organic substances, some data are at variance with the results of the electrochemical methods. The most typical in this respect are the data on methanol adsorption on platinum.A comparative study of methanol adsorption by the radioactive tracers method with the use of ¹⁴C and by the electrochemical methods has shown that the reason of the discrepancies in these data is the presence of impurities containing ¹⁴C in labeled methanol samples. It is suggested that these impurities are autoradiolysis products.