Syrejämvikten

Syrejämvikten is a Swedish term literally meaning the oxygen equilibrium. It is used in various scientific disciplines to refer to the state in which the exchange, distribution, or balance of oxygen between different phases or compartments is achieved under given conditions. Because the term spans fields, its exact meaning varies accordingly.

In chemistry and physical chemistry, syrejämvikten describes the equilibrium between dissolved oxygen in a liquid and oxygen in the surrounding gas, governed by principles such as Henry’s law. At equilibrium, the rate of oxygen dissolving into the liquid equals the rate of oxygen leaving the liquid. The amount dissolved depends on temperature, pressure, salinity, and gas transfer velocity.

In physiology, the term can refer to the balance between oxygen delivery and consumption in tissues, or the equilibrium of oxygen partial pressures across alveolar–capillary membranes. The binding of oxygen to hemoglobin and the related oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation dynamics are central, with factors like pH (Bohr effect), carbon dioxide, temperature, and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate influencing the balance.

In environmental science, syrejämvikten may describe the dissolved oxygen balance in aquatic systems, arising from photosynthesis, respiration, reaeration, and mixing. Stratification, weather, and biological activity can shift the equilibrium and create oxygen gradients.

Measurement and relevance: dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, oxygen partial pressure, and transfer rates are used to assess the state of syrejämvikten. Common methods include Winkler titration, Clark-type sensors, and optical probes.

Terminology: the term is not uniformly defined and is often described with field-specific phrases such as oxygen equilibrium, oxygen balance, or DO equilibrium. See also Henry’s law, hemoglobin–oxygen binding, and dissolved oxygen dynamics.