The daily production of hydrogen ion from CO2 primarily buffered by which of the following?
High-Yield Explanation
Aerobic metabolism produces 13,000 to 24,000 mmol CO2 per day.This yields close to that amount of H+ ions produced per day the reaction CO2 + H20 - 7H2C03 H+ + HCO-3.At the tissues, CO2 diffuses into the red blood cells, where the enzyme carbonic anhydrate accelerates the above reaction. The H+ produced is buffered mainly by the large amount of hemoglobin in the red blood cells. Bicarbonate is not an effective buffer of volatile acid from CO2.