A decrease in arterial pH observed during progressive hypoxia of Bufo marinus by Boutilier and Toews (1977) prompted the hypothesis that the change was caused by an increase in lactic acid levels in the blood as a result of anaerobic glycolysis. In this study, blood glucose and lactic acid levels were measured to obtain normal values, values during progressive hypoxia, and post-exposure values of each in Bufo marinus. The normal mean value for glucose was found to be 14.59 mg/100 ml. This increased to 23.90 mg/100 ml 30 minutes after the anoxic period had ended. The lactic acid was found to have a normal mean of 7.21 mg/100 ml. The first significant increase occurred 90 minutes after the onset of anoxia, with the highest mean value of 27.71 mg/100 ml occurring 30 Minutes following the termination of anoxia. During the post exposure period both blood glucose and lactic acid levels decreased significantly. The blood glucose levels reached normal values by the end of the experiment, but the lactic acid did not.
Michael Eugene D'Eon (Sat,) studied this question.