Experimental emissions data from both internal flame and exhaust plane gathered in a simulated gas turbine primary zone at typical combustor operating conditions are analyzed in terms of the developed time parameters. Results indicate that, with a well atomized fuel spray, the large scale turbulent mixing controls the flame stoichiometry and hence the emissions characteristics. However as the fuel atomization becomes poorer, the flame structure is altered and emissions characteristics can be explained only by a combination of heterogeneous and homogeneous processes. Because CO and NOx emissions originate in separate regions of the flame, it was possible to alter the turbulent mixing properties of each region such that both CO and NOx were reduced.