Carbon dioxide is transported in the blood principally as A) carbaminohemoglobin. B) dissolved CO₂ in solution in the blood. C) bicarbonate. D) carbon monoxide.

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Carbon dioxide is transported in the blood mostly in the form of bicarbonate (HCO3-). Carbonic anhydrase, an enzyme found in red blood cells, catalyzes the reaction between carbon dioxide and water to produce bicarbonate ions, which can then be transported in the blood to the lungs where they are converted back into carbon dioxide for exhalation. While small amounts of carbon dioxide can also be transported as carbaminohemoglobin or dissolved in the blood, bicarbonate is the primary mode of transport. Carbon monoxide (CO) is not a normal component of the blood and can be toxic at high levels.

Carbon Dioxide Is Transported in the Blood Principally as