Haldane Effect

The slope of the CO2 solubility curve between 40 and 45 mmHg is 0.0045 (mL/mL)/mmHg. Blood passing through the lungs looses 0.04 mL/mL of CO₂ while pCO₂ decreases 5 mmHg, as shown below.

A little bit more than ½ of the CO₂ loss in the lungs is due to the 5 mmHg excursion down the venous dissociation curve. The remainder of the CO₂ loss is due to the downward shift in the dissociation curve, the Haldane effect, as pO₂ increases from 40 mmHg (75% saturation) to 100 mmHg (100% saturation).

 
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updated 03-02-05