[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V4 #28
At 03:48 AM 1/14/2000 -0500, Sherman wrote:
>Someone said recently that CO2 was transported out of the system by
>hemoglobin.
I believe this is bushwa (at least in humans). Prove it to yourself as
follows:
Breathe in and out from a plastic bag. You will remove O2 from the air in
the bag, but more importantly, CO2 will accumulate in the bag. Your
breathing will become more and more labored and you will experience a sort
of panic, like you are suffocating, which you are. But it is purely a
response to the CO2.
To prove this, fill a bag of the same size with pure O2. It should take
five times as long for panic to set in if it is O2 induced, it will
actually take about the same time (proving that it is CO2 buildup).
To show that Hgb is not involved, fill the bag with CO and a CO2 absorber
(it's a calcium salt, forgot which one) and inhale as deeply as you can and
hold it. Then when you can hold it no longer, start breathing (into and
out of the bag). There will be no CO2 buildup and no panic, but your Hgb
is completely occupied by CO, as will be evidenced by your passing out
(from anoxia). Be sure to have someone on hand to remove the plastic bag
and revive you. I do not recommend you actually carry out this last
experiment as it is dangerous and you could die, but you might want to
sacrifice an animal if you need to see it actually happen. I am content
with anecdotal evidence about CO asphyxiation.
--
Dave Gomberg, San Francisco mailto:gomberg at wcf_com
NEW Planted Aquaria Magazine: http://www.wcf.com/pam
My aquarium plant supply store: http://www.wcf.com/store
-----------------------------------------------------------------