Correct pK values for dissociation constant of carbonic acid lower the reported Km values of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase to half. Presentation of a nomograph and an equation for determining the pK values.

In the assay of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) in vitro, the concentration of CO2, the substrate of the enzyme, has been calculated from the amount of sodium bicarbonate added to the assay mixture with a dissociation constant of carbonic acid in pure water, 6.35 to 6.37. However, Rubisco is generally assayed at ionic strength of 0.1 to 0.2 M, where the dissociation constant decreases up to 6.06. The decrease of this level of the constant reduces the calculated CO2 concentration in the assay mixture to about half and accordingly the Kms of Rubisco for CO2 reported so far are not correct. The present report presents a nomograph and an equation, from which dissociation constants of carbonic acid in the presence of various concentrations of salts can be easily calculated.