Deficient amount of oxygen is referred to as what?

Prepare for the American Water Works Water Treatment Plant Operator Test. Study with multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready to excel!

Oxygen deficiency in the context of the bloodstream is described as hypoxemia. This term means there is a lower-than-normal amount of oxygen in the arterial blood, which can reduce the oxygen delivery to tissues. Anoxia would mean no oxygen at all, which is more severe than a deficiency. Hyperoxia is too much oxygen, and anemia refers to a lack of enough hemoglobin or red blood cells to carry oxygen, not a direct measure of oxygen levels in the blood. Because the prompt points to a deficient amount of oxygen in the blood, hypoxemia is the best fit.