The facilitated transport of carbon dioxide through bicarbonate solutions
Abstract
The facilitated transport of CO 2 through thin layers of bicarbonate solution has been investigated. Mathematical models of the steady-state transport process have been analyzed and compared with experimental results. The results have been obtained using a new experimental technique which permits flux studies on immobilized films as thin as 100 μ. With no added catalysts, the augmentation of the CO 2 flux was found to be reaction-rate limited. The magnitude of the augmentation increases with increasing metal ion concentration and with increasing liquid film thickness. On the addition of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase which catalyzes the hydration/dehydration reaction, unexpected results were obtained. At small metal ion concentrations, the enzyme increased the flux to a value predicted for reaction equilibrium. For high metal ion concentrations and for enzyme concentrations approaching those found in the red blood cell, the flux remained reaction-rate limited with the extent of reaction apparently independent of enzyme concentration.
- Publication:
-
Chemical Engineering Science
- Pub Date:
- 1971
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0009-2509(71)83054-3
- Bibcode:
- 1971ChEnS..26..949O