RE: NANFA-L-- cold euthanasia

Dustin Smith (dsmith73-in-hotmail.com)
Thu, 31 Aug 2006 11:10:37 -0400

Carbon monoxide outcompetes oxygen for binding sites on the hemoglobin
compounds. Carbon dioxide doesn't to the best of my knowledge. It simply
overwhelms the amount of oxygen available.

I wouldn't be so concerned with the realively harmless bicarb as I would be
with the pH lowering effect of the acetylsalicylic acid(Aspirin).

Dustin Smith
Lexington, SC
At the convergence of the Broad, Saluda and Congaree

----Original Message Follows----
From: Peter Unmack <peter.lists-in->
Reply-To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
To: nanfa-l <nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org>
Subject: RE: NANFA-L-- cold euthanasia
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 09:56:12 -0500 (CDT)

On Thu, 31 Aug 2006, Nick Zarlinga wrote:

> I was under the impression that CO2 is a humane way to euthanatize since
it
> is independent of the amount of O2 available to the specimen, therefore
no
> perceived lack of oxygen response.

Doesn't CO2 essentially deprive the organisim of O2? My impression is
that red blood cells would not be able to drive off CO2 if there is a high
concentration of CO2 present, thus reducing available cells for uptake of
O2, thus sufficating the fish? This doesn't imply that the fish suffers
per se, since high CO2 or CO tends to put us to sleep relatively quietly
(that's how I'd put myself down if I had to).

And the bicarb will only raise the pH to 8 at saturation (8.2 when it is
at some point less than saturated). Thus shouldn't be a big issue for
most fishes.

Cheers
Peter
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