Steady-state diffusion in the carbon monoxide + oxygen + haemoglobin system

Abstract

The experimental work of Mochizuki and Forster indicates that the characteristics of diffusion in the carbon monoxide + oxygen + haemoglobin system cannot be understood if it is assumed that equilibrium exists between the reacting species at the initial and final boundaries of the transport path. It is shown herein, however, that if the differential equations governing steady-state diffusion with simultaneous chemical reaction are solved without this simplifying assumption, a decision can be made between two possible mechanisms for the reaction kinetics and values for the diffusion coefficients and rate constants can be obtained by comparing the calculated steady-state fluxes with the experimental data.