Question

Nitrate acts as a poison by interfering with oxidative enzymes. oxidizing hemoglobin to methemoglobin, which cannot carry oxygen. reacting with enzymes that break down toxic wastes in the liver. blocking cell protein synthesis.

Answer 1

Explanation:

Methemoglobin (metHb) is an oxidized derivative of hemoglobin in which heme iron is in the ferric (Fe3+) or oxidized state rather than the ferrous (Fe2+) or reduced state. Small amounts of methemoglobin normally are formed daily, associated with the release of oxygen from hemoglobin (auto-oxidation).

Methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen, which means it cannot carry oxygen to tissues. It is bluish chocolate-brown in color. In human blood a trace amount of methemoglobin is normally produced spontaneously, but when present in excess the blood becomes abnormally dark bluish brown. The NADH-dependent enzyme methemoglobin reductase (a type of diaphorase) is responsible for converting methemoglobin back to hemoglobin.

Normally one to two percent of a person's hemoglobin is methemoglobin; a higher percentage than this can be genetic or caused by exposure to various chemicals and depending on the level can cause health problems known as methemoglobinemia. A higher level of methemoglobin will tend to cause a pulse oximeter to read closer to 85% regardless of the true level of oxygen saturation. An abnormal increase of methemoglobin will increase the oxygen binding affinity of normal hemoglobin, resulting in a decreased unloading of oxygen to the tissues.