Oxygen Equilibria and Biochemical Changes of Whole Blood Stored in Different Preservation Media

Human blood was stored in its oxygenated and in its deoxygenated forms for a period of 14 to 56 days at 4 C in six different preservation media, namely, ACD and CPD, ACD and CPD supplemented with adenine, ACD and CPD supplemented with adenine and with tris (hydroxymethyl) amino-methane at pH 7.2. At regular intervals determinations were made of the pH and the oxygen affinities of the total blood, of the intracellular concentrations of ATP, 2,3-DPG and inorganic phosphate, of plasma electrolytes and lactic add concentrations, and of the minor hemoglobin components. The investigations have shown: 1) Storage of blood in the deoxygenated form results in a rapid decrease of the blood pH, an increased lactic acid production, and a less rapid change in the oxygen affinities and 2,3-DPG levels; 2) Storage of blood at a more neutral pH prevents the changes in 2,3-DPG level and oxygen affinity; 3) Supplementation of the media with adenine may increase to some extent the ATP level of the red blood cells; 4) No significant changes are observed in the percentages of the minor hemoglobins. A striking correlation was observed between the oxygen affinity of the blood and the intracellular 2,3-DPG level; no such correlation was present between the ATP level of the red blood cells and the oxygen affinity of the blood. The 2,3-DPG level (and the oxygen affinity) was also dependent on the pH of the blood-preservation media. A rapid disappearance of 2,3-DPG was noted below rather fixed pH values; these pH values were consistently lower when blood was stored in its deoxygenated form than in its oxygenated form.