The Kinetics of Haemoglobin in Solution 



in equation (1). None of his data are nearly as adequate, however, for 

 quantitative tests in this respect as those subsequently obtained by 

 Bateman and Roughton in a control experiment 11 , carried out with 

 Millikan. In this experiment the speed of the reaction was measured 

 both thermally and photo-colorimetrically with exactly the same solu- 

 tions, and concordant results were obtained over the whole range 

 studied, which amounted to about 85 per cent of the course of the 

 reaction. The validity of equation (1) in respect of these data is tested 

 by plotting 



1 t os. — y 



In - — - against time, t 



<* -fi P -y 



where a = total concentration of CO dissolved and combined 



fi = total concentration of haemoglobin 1 expressed in same 

 y — concentration of COHb at time t J units as a. 



For, if the back reaction term in equation (1), i.e. — k XHb, be neglected 

 (as is legitimate in the case of the CO + Hb reaction) integration of 



(1) leads to the equation k't= 5 In - — - + constant (Roughton 7 ) 



a — ft fS — y 



and the data, if plotted as in Figure 1, should give a straight line 

 inclined to the time-axes at angle whose tangent is proportional to k'. 

 Figure 1, however, shows that this is only true for the six earliest 



Figure 1. Test of equation 



d [COHb] \dt = k' [CO] [Hb] 



on data of Bateman and 



Roughton. 



"nx 



so 



of 

 / y' 



o / y 



as s 



^r — -y^ 



y> 



ooi o■o^ ooj 



Time in Seconds 



71 



