Definition of Term

carbon dioxide (CO2)

(English) A colorless, odorless gas resulting from the oxidation of carbon containing substances, highly soluble in water, toxic to fish at levels 20 ppm; toxicity to fish increases with low levels of oxygen. Carbon dioxide has an acidic reaction in water (H20 + CO2 = H2CO3/H2CO3/ = H + HCO3). Within the bicarbonate system, the relative amount of CO2, bicarbonate and carbonate will depend on pH. Therefore, the pH at which carbon dioxide concentration decreases to an analytically undetectable value and carbonate appears in measurable concentrations is important for both practical and analytical purposes and should always be reported when calculating CO2 levels.

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