Blood+Equilibrium

× The human body is considered as slightly alkaline, as the pH level of blood should stays in a very narrow range from 7.35 to 7.45.

× Most of the body fluids are base fluids. -Saliva 7.2 -Bile 7.4 -Intestinal fluid 7.6 -Pancreatic juice 8-8.4 × There are also some acid fluids. -Gastric acid 0.9-1.5 -Perspiration 5.2-5.8.

× During the process of metabolism, the tissues in the body produce a lot of acid waste product, like lactic acid, carbonic acid. Digestion also produce a lot of carbon dioxide. × Blood is the main source and tool the body uses to maintain a proper pH level. × Human's blood is composed of 4 parts: blood plasma, red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), and blood platelet. -45% of the blood is made up by RBC. -WBC takes only 1% and the platelet is less than 1%. -The rest 55% of the blood is made up by plasma. Plasma is mostly water (90% by volume) and contains dissolved proteins, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions, hormones and carbon dioxide).

× The blood plasma has a unique function, called Bicarbonate buffering system. It is an autonomic function. When carbon dioxide released by tissues, it dissolves in blood, combines with water to form carbonic acid. The Bicarbonate buffering system works to make the carbonic acid rapidly dissociates to form hydrogen ion and bicarbonate. × Buffering agent: Buffering agents in humans, functioning in acid base homeostasis, are extracellular agents (e.g., bicarbonate, ammonia) as well as intracellular agents (including proteins and phosphate). A dilute mixture of monosodium phosphate and disodium phosphate can be made to approach physiological pH and can serve as an agent for phosphate loading or colonic lavage.

× Any disturbance of the system will be compensated by a shift in the chemical equilibrium according to Le Chatelier's principle. For example, if the blood gained excess hydrogen ions (called acidosis), some of those hydrogen ions would shift to carbon dioxide, to minimize the increased acidity.

× If the pH level of blood is out of the proper range, it causes illness. And if the pH level goes too high or too low, the system may not fix it successfully and we do need other medical support.

Work Cited AccessScience. (2010). //Blood//. Retrieved Dec 2010, from AccessScience: http://www.accessscience.com/abstract.aspx?id=087600&referURL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.accessscience.com%2fcontent.aspx%3fsearchStr%3dblood%26id%3d087600 Baidu. (2008). //Buffering System//. Retrieved Dec 2010, from Baidu: http://baike.baidu.com/view/1116518.htm Raymond J. Noonan, P. (1998, June). //BLOOD AND ITS COMPONENTS//. Retrieved Dec 2010, from http://home.bway.net/rjnoonan/humans_in_space/blood.html