Bulk of carbon dioxide (CO2) released from body tissues into the blood is present as
- bicarbonate in blood plasma and RBCs
- free CO2 in blood plasma
- 70% carbamino-haemoglobin and 30% as bicarbonate
- carbamino-haemoglobin in RBCs.
Answer
(1) bicarbonate in blood plasma and RBCs
Solution
As per NCERT, CO2 is transported as:
⇒ about 20–25% as carbamino-haemoglobin,
⇒ about 70% as bicarbonate,
⇒ about 7% dissolved in plasma.
∵ Carbonic anhydrase, present in high concentration in RBCs, converts CO2 into HCO3-, which also diffuses into the plasma,
∴ the bulk of CO2 is present as bicarbonate in blood plasma and RBCs.
Answer: (1)