Editing Bohr effect (section)

{{hatnote|Not to be confused with the [[Bohr equation]].}}
{{short description|Concept in physiology}}
[[File:Christian Bohr u016a.jpg|thumb|Christian Bohr, who was credited with the discovery of the effect in 1904.]]
The '''Bohr effect''' is a phenomenon first described in 1904 by the Danish physiologist [[Christian Bohr]]. [[Hemoglobin]]'s oxygen binding affinity (see [[oxygen–haemoglobin dissociation curve]]) is inversely related both to acidity and to the concentration of carbon dioxide.<ref name=":2">{{cite journal|last=Bohr|author2=Hasselbalch, Krogh|title=Concerning a Biologically Important Relationship - The Influence of the Carbon Dioxide Content of Blood on its Oxygen Binding|url=http://www.udel.edu/chem/white/C342/Bohr%281904%29.html}}</ref> That is, the Bohr effect refers to the shift in the oxygen dissociation curve caused by changes in the concentration of [[carbon dioxide]] or the [[pH]] of the environment. Since carbon dioxide reacts with water to form [[carbonic acid]], an increase in CO<sub>2</sub> results in a decrease in blood [[pH]],<ref name="Voet" /> resulting in hemoglobin proteins releasing their load of oxygen. Conversely, a decrease in carbon dioxide provokes an increase in pH, which results in hemoglobin picking up more oxygen.