Oxygen uptake and change in carbon dioxide tension in human blood stored at 37 C

¹ Institute of Respiratory Physiology, Firland Sanatorium, and Departments of Medicine and Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

The changes in Po₂ and Pco₂ in human blood samples stored at 37 C were measured. In some samples NaF was added. The mean Po₂ decay of samples having a Po₂ higher than 150 mm Hg was 2.7 mm Hg/min. This corresponded to an O₂ consumption (Vo₂) of 8.5 x 10^–5 ml/ml per min. When NaF was added Vo₂ was only 6.3 x 10^–5 ml/ml per min. The rate of increase of Pco₂ was .11 mm Hg/min in samples without NaF. After NaF had been added no change in Pco₂ was observed; the reasons for this finding are discussed. Some of the causes of the changes in Po₂ and Pco₂ have been studied. The storage temperature affects Po₂ by .063 mm Hg/min per °C, and the hematocrit by 3.8 x 10^–2 mm Hg/min per % Hct. For Pco₂, these effects are .003 mm Hg per min per °C and 9.8 x 10^–4 mm Hg/min per % Hct, respectively. The reticulocyte and white cell counts are shown to have an essential role in the rate of change of Po₂ and Pco₂.

Submitted on July 24, 1964