Lack of Ozone Effects on Oxygen Hemoglobin Affinity

Abstract

Ozone exposure has been shown to cause erythrocyte damage and thus may be affecting oxygen delivery by the red cell. Oxyhemoglobin affinity, heme-oxygen binding site interaction (Hill coefficient), and red cell 2 ,3-diphosphoglycerate concentrations were measured in a total of twenty - two New Zealand white rabbits exposed to ozone. Ozone exposures of 1 and 3 ppm for 4 hr in rabbits had no signifi-cant (P > .05) effect, immediate or delayed, on the parameters measured.