What phenomenon describes the decrease in the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin due to decreased blood pH?

The phenomenon that describes the decrease in the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin due to decreased blood pH is known as the Bohr effect. This effect is crucial for understanding how hemoglobin behaves under varying physiological conditions. When blood pH decreases, typically due to increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in tissues, hemoglobin's structure changes in a way that reduces its affinity for oxygen. This facilitates the release of oxygen in tissues that are metabolically active and require more oxygen for respiration.

The Bohr effect illustrates the relationship between pH and oxygen transport, ensuring that the most oxygen is released where it is most needed. This is particularly important during intense physical activity when muscles produce more lactic acid, lowering the pH and prompting hemoglobin to release more oxygen where it is critically needed.

While the Haldane effect pertains to the increased affinity of hemoglobin for carbon dioxide when oxygen levels are low, and oxyhemoglobin dissociation refers to the process of oxygen being released from hemoglobin, these do not specifically address the role of pH in altering oxygen affinity. The carbonic acid shift describes the conversion of carbon dioxide into bicarbonate in the blood and relates to pH balance, but it does not directly pertain to changes in hemoglobin