buffer systems
Bicarbonate Bicarbonate is the second most abundant anion in the blood. Its principal function is to maintain your bodys acid-base balance by being part of buffer systems. This role will be discussed in a different section. Bicarbonate ions result from a chemical reaction that starts with carbon dioxide CO2 and water, two molecules that are produced at the end of aerobic metabolism. Only a small amount of CO2 can be dissolved in body fluids. Thus, over 90 percent of the CO2 is converted into bicarbonate ions, HCO3, through the following reactions:.