Background Sevoflurane is currently used as a volatile inhalation anesthetic with many clinical advantages. A representative degradation product,compound A,was quantitatively measured to investigate whether there are different reactions between two kinds of water content sevoflurane formulations with different carbon dioxide (CO2) absorbents.Methods A closed-circle breathe bag with the Dr(a)ger Fabius GS anesthesia apparatus was used as an artificial rubber lung. The experiments were grouped according to different sevoflurane formulations:group A:higher-water sevoflurane (Ultane);group B:lower-water sevoflurane (Sevoness). During the experiment,CO2 (200 ml/min) was continually perfused to keep the end-tidal pressure of CO2 (PETCO2)at 35-45 mmHg. The artificial ventilation was set to 6 L/min,and the breathing rate at 12 breaths/min. The circuit was operated with constant fresh gas flow rate (1 L/min) and the sevoflurane concentration was kept at 1.0 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) for 240 minutes. At 0,10,20,30,60,90,120,180 and 240 minutes,gas was collected from the Y-piece. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)was used to quantify the major degradation product,compound A,with different water content sevoflurane. PETCO2 and sevoflurane concentration,and the temperature of the canister were continuously monitored during the experiment.Results There were no significant differences in PETCO2 and sevoflurane concentrations between the two groups.Dr(a)gersorb 800 plus produced the highest concentrations of compound A compared with other sodalimes,and Sevoness in Dr(a)gersorb 800 plus generated more compound A than Ultane (P ＜0.05). There were significant differences in the peak and average compound A concentrations between Ultane and Sevoness with Dr(a)gersorb 800 plus (P ＜0.05),while the compound A concentration produced by Sodasorb grase and sofonolime in the two groups showed no significant difference (P ＞0.05). In the same group,the peak and average of compound A concentration produced by Sodasorb grase and sofonolime showed significant difference with Dr(a)gersorb 800 plus (P ＜0.05).Conclusion The water content of sevoflurane and potassium hydroxide in CO2 absorbent can influence compound A production.