The effect of metabolic and hypercapnic acidosis on myocardial blood flow was studied during intravenous infusions of hydrochloric acid solutions (n = 12) and during passive ventilation with 5 CO2 (n = 5) in anaesthetized, closed chest dogs.
Physical conditions alter this normal state, creating alkalinity in the blood if this concentration moves lower than the expected 40 mmHg, a condition referred to as hypocapnia. The body's carbon dioxide concentration reading measures the amount of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, with an expected normal reading of 40 mmHg. How pCO2 Affects Oxy-Hemoglobin Dissociation Curve: The animations show how the concentration of carbon dioxide in the plasma (partial pressure of CO2 or pCO2) affects oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve (O2-Hb saturation). It has been reported that submarine personnel exposed continuously at 30,000 ppm were only slightly affected, provided the oxygen content of the air was maintained at normal.
Physically dissolved CO2 (10) dissolved CO2 increases linearly with increases in PCO2 (obeys Henry's law) CO2 solubility = mL CO2/dLblood per mm Hg (20 times higher than O2 solubility) dissolved CO2 fraction cannot be neglected. Increasing PCO2 causes decreased red cell pH (acidosis) CO2 reacts covalently with hemoglobin to form carbamino hemoglobin which has a REDUCED O2 affinity. Other human data: Signs of intoxication have been produced by a 30-minute exposure at 50,000 ppm Aero 1953 , and a few minutes exposure at 70,000 to 100,000 ppm produces unconsciousness Flury and Zernik 1931.