The Rising Threat of Carbon Dioxide: A Study on Blood Chemistry
A groundbreaking study reveals a concerning trend: the increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere are not only detectable but also measurable in human blood. This research, spanning two decades of health data from a US population database, uncovers shifts in blood chemistry that mirror the rise in atmospheric CO2, a primary driver of climate change.
While the current levels are not yet dangerous, the study's projections are alarming. According to the researchers' modeling, if the trend persists, some blood chemistry values could reach the limit of today's accepted healthy range by 2076. This discovery highlights the potential physiological impact on the population over time.
Alexander Larcombe, a respiratory physiologist at Curtin University in Australia, explains, "We're witnessing a gradual shift in blood chemistry that mirrors the rise in atmospheric CO2, which is driving climate change. If current trends continue, modeling indicates average bicarbonate levels could approach the upper limit of today's accepted healthy range within 50 years. Calcium and phosphorus levels could also reach the lower end of their healthy ranges later this century."
The study's authors, Larcombe and retired geoscientist Phil Bierwirth, examined blood chemistry data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which collected samples from approximately 7,000 Americans every two years between 1999 and 2020. They found that the average blood concentration of bicarbonate rose from 23.8 to 25.3 milliequivalents per liter, an increase of about 7 percent, or 0.34 percent per year, mirroring the rise in CO2 over the same period.
Interestingly, calcium and phosphorus levels in the cohort showed an opposite trend, with calcium dropping by 2 percent and phosphorus by 7 percent. This may be related to the body's acid-base balance, as carbon dioxide dissolves in the bloodstream, altering it. The kidneys conserve bicarbonate to maintain blood pH, while bones buffer acid by exchanging minerals like calcium and phosphorus.
Despite the small shifts currently within the body's tolerable range, the parallel rise is striking. Larcombe and Bierwirth suggest that these changes may indicate a lack of adaptation by the human body to the rapidly increasing CO2 levels. Bierwirth notes, "The normal range maintains a delicate balance between how much CO2 is in the air, our blood pH, our breathing rate, and bicarbonate levels in the blood. As CO2 in the air is now higher than humans have ever experienced, it appears to be building up in our bodies."
The research, published in Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, highlights the urgent need to address rising CO2 levels and their potential impact on human health. As the atmosphere continues to warm, the consequences for our blood chemistry and overall well-being may become more pronounced, underscoring the importance of taking action to mitigate climate change.
