Hemoglobin and Oxygen equilibrium
What is it?
Hemoglobin is a critical component of red blood cells that is composed of protein known as “heme” which aids in the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. From the lungs, hemoglobin binds oxygen to itself and carries it to the tissue where it is released. The cycle occurs again once hemoglobin travels back to the lungs.
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Structure It is composed of four heme groups and thus can carry four oxygen molecules that bind to each heme group’s central ion.
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The structure and function of hemoglobin
Hemoglobin and oxygen Equilibrium?
This is a form of biological equilibrium. When hemoglobin reacts with oxygen, oxyhemoglobin is formed. The oxygenation of blood is an equilibrium reaction. This is a form of dynamic equilibrium since it establishes balance with the movement of hemoglobin. Therefore the synthesis of oxyhemoglobin (foreword reaction) and the decomposition of oxyhemoglobin reverse reaction) are
Chemical equation
Hb (aq) + 4O 2 (g) ⇋ Hb(O 2 ) 4 (aq)
Note: Hb stands for hemoglobin
Le Chatlier’s principle
External forces that control hemoglobin and oxygen equilibrium
PRESSURE
· Both high and low altitudes control this equilibrium system. The air pressure directly correlates with the amount of oxygen needed for survival.
· DECREASE IN GAS PRESSURE AT HIGH ALTITUDES
o Results in a shift to the sides with more gas molecules. In this case, it would be a shift to the left since, as pressure decreases, volume will increase and to re-establish equilibrium more gas molecules of hemoglobin and oxygen have to be present.
o Low air pressure results in less oxyhemoglobin needed for survival and more hemoglobin and oxygen to be present
· INCREASE IN GAS PRESSURE AT LOW ALTITUDES
o Results in a shift to the side with the fewest gas molecules as volume will inversely decrease. To re-establish equilibrium a shift to the right will occur so that fewer gas molecules are present.
o High air pressure results in more oxyhemoglobin needed for survival.
CONCENTRATION OF OXYGEN
· IN THE LUNGS
o The concentration of oxygen increases and therefore a shift to the right will occur in order to counteract the increasing concentration of oxygen by producing more oxyhemoglobin.
· IN THE TISSUE
o The concentration of oxygen decreases and thus to re-establish equilibrium a shift to the left occurs by decomposing oxyhemoglobin to increase the concentration of oxygen.
TEMPERATURE
· HIGH INCREASE OR DECREASE IN TEMPERATURE
o This causes protein denaturation for oxyhemoglobin which results in an increase within the concentration of hemoglobin and oxygen. In order to re-establish equilibrium a shift occurs in the right to increase the production of oxyhemoglobin.
How does Society impact hemoglobin equilibrium?
When in high or low altitudes hemoglobin equilibrium becomes disrupted. Therefore, periodic moments spent in high or low altitudes will impact hemoglobin equilibrium.
When the air pressure is either lowered or heavily increased it becomes more difficult to attain oxygen. Due to this, mountain climbers that are exposed to the disruption of decreasing air pressure to their equilibrium system carry oxygen with them in oxygen tanks. When in high altitudes such as airplanes, society’s creation of oxygen mask helps re-establish equilibrium as the presence of oxygen decreases when air pressure decreases.
Divers are continuously faced with increasing air pressure which is a property that disrupts the equilibrium system and decreases the amount of oxygen available. Society helps re-establish hemoglobin equilibrium through the use of oxygen tanks which will control the production of oxygen.
Society’s recreational desire for diving, mountain climbing, usage of plane and creation of oxygen tanks/masks impacts the maintenance of hemoglobin and oxygen equilibrium.
How does hemoglobin equilibrium impact society?
· In order to maintain hemoglobin equilibrium, the production of oxygen masks within planes had to occur. Therefore, it controls safety regulations for divers and fliers.
· Hemoglobin equilibrium is critical in understanding the effect of hypoxia on the human body. It is due to the property of pressure being disrupted in this system that causes a sudden decrease of oxygen that cannot be reimbursed.This ultimately results in death due to lack of oxygen transportation. This system impacts the medical community due to the health related risks that can be associated with damaging the hemoglobin.
· Individuals who are both born and raised in high altitudes will have their bodies re-establish equilibrium shift by producing more hemoglobin, which allows for more oxygen to be bound to the heme protein and thus cause an equilibrium shift to the right.
The maintenance of hemoglobin and oxygen equilibrium
References
Chemistry 104: Equilibrium and Breathing. (n.d.). Bryn Mawr College. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from http://www.brynmawr.edu/chemistry/Chem/Chem104lc/hemoglobin.html
Hemoglobin: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia Image. (n.d.). National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/19510.htm
High Altitudes and Lack of Oxygen. (n.d.). Digipac Microcomputer Software. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from http://www.digipac.ca/chemical/mtom/contents/chapter3/altitude.htm
Metal Complex in the Blood. (n.d.). Department of Chemistry | Washington University in St. Louis. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/~edudev/LabTutorials/Hemoglobin/MetalComplexinBlood.html
hemoglobin, p. m. (n.d.). Real-life applications – Chemical Equilibrium. Science Clarified. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from http://www.scienceclarified.com/everyday/Real-Life-Chemistry-Vol-2/Chemical-Equilibrium-Real-life-applications.html
Grade 12U Chemistry-Systems and Equilibrium 
Hello, I really enjoyed reading about your post and was wondering how pH would affect the hemoglobin-oxygen equilibrium (like an increase of CO2)?
Very informative Blog. Can you explain why divers are not advised to dive and fly in the same day from a hemoglobin perspective?
Thank you for the comment! The repercussion of diving and flying is known as decompression sickness. Widely referred to as the “bends,” decompression sickness occurs when nitrogen bubbles build up within the body. Like a sponge, during a dive, the human body naturally absorbs the surrounding nitrogen into the tissue in response to the surrounding pressure and releases the nitrogen through the lungs when the diver reaches the surface. Consequently, the deeper and longer the dive, the more nitrogen the diver absorbs, which is safe as long as the pressure, remains constant. The rate at which the diver ascends to the surface must not exceed the rate at which the nitrogen leaves the body. Otherwise, nitrogen will remain and build up in the body; similar to sponge that has been soaked in water but not entirely squeezed out. If you think in terms of opening a pop can, the moment you decrease the pressure around the drink, bubbles of carbon dioxide build up. In this case, the same bubbles would build up but instead it would be nitrogen bubbles that are inside the body. Divers are advised not to go flying the same day as diving due to probability of this sickness due to the quick ascension to a high altitude. In a hemoglobin perspective, the presence of this disease can cause symptoms such as localized pain and paralysis or consequences that result in the destruction of hemoglobin. In reference to this system, decompression sickness can ultimately lowers the concentration of hemoglobin and the oxygen that is coupled with the heme groups. Therefore, if a diver were to dive and fly on the same day they would lower their concentration of hemoglobin and according to Le Chatelier’s Principle, the system must shift to the left in order to re-establish equilibrium by producing more hemoglobin and oxygen.
Hi! This blog is very detailed, as it helped me understand everything regarding this topic quite efficiently, such as how the different factors shifting equlibirum work. One question I have is, how can specific diseases effect the equilibrium shift?
Thank you Gurleen for the question! Diseases that can lower the red blood cell count, simultaneously affect the concentration of hemoglobin. The destruction of this vital component of blood can be caused by various forms of anemia (Aplastic anemia, iron deficiency anemia and vitamin deficiency anemia) and cancer (leukemia) which can simultaneously lower the concentration of hemoglobin and the oxygen that is carried by the 4 heme groups that comprise the hemoglobin. As a result, in reference to Le Chatlier’s Principle, in order to compensate and re establish equilibrium, the system will shift to the left and produce more hemoglobin and oxygen.