The solubilities of calcite, aragonite and vaterite in CO2-H2O solutions between 0 and 90°C, and an evaluation of the aqueous model for the system CaCO3-CO2-H2O

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
By:  and 

Links

Abstract

Calculations based on approximately 350 new measurements (CaT-PCO2) of the solubilities of calcite, aragonite and vaterite in CO2-H2O solutions between 0 and 90°C indicate the following values for the log of the equilibrium constants KCKA, and KV respectively, for the reaction CaCO3(s) = Ca2+ + CO2−3

 where T is in oK. At 25°C the logarithms of the equilibrium constants are −8.480 ± 0.020, −8.336 ± 0.020 and −7.913 ± 0.020 for calcite, aragonite and vaterite, respectively.

The equilibrium constants are internally consistent with an aqueous model that includes the CaHCO+3 and CaCO03 ion pairs, revised analytical expressions for CO2-H2O equilibria, and extended Debye-Hückel individual ion activity coefficients. Using this aqueous model, the equilibrium constant of aragonite shows no PCO2-dependence if the CaHCO+3 association constant is between 0 and 90°C, corresponding to the value logKCahco+3 = 1.11 ± 0.07 at 25°C. The CaCO03association constant was measured potentiometrically to be  between 5 and 80°C, yielding logKCaCO03 = 3.22 ± 0.14 at 25°C.

The CO2-H2O equilibria have been critically evaluated and new empirical expressions for the temperature dependence of KHK1 and K2 are and logK2 = −107.8871 − 0.03252849T + 5151.79/T + 38.92561 logT − 563713.9/T2 which may be used to at least 250°C. These expressions hold for 1 atm. total pressure between 0 and 100°C and follow the vapor pressure curve of water at higher temperatures.

Extensive measurements of the pH of Ca-HCO3 solutions at 25°C and 0.956 atm PCO2 using different compositions of the reference electrode filling solution show that measured differences in pH are closely approximated by differences in liquid-junction potential as calculated by the Henderson equation. Liquid-junction corrected pH measurements agree with the calculated pH within 0.003-0.011 pH.

Earlier arguments suggesting that the CaHCO+3 ion pair should not be included in the CaCO3-CO2-H2O aqueous model were based on less accurate calcite solubility data. The CaHCO+3 ion pair must be included in the aqueous model to account for the observed PCO2-dependence of aragonite solubility between 317 ppm CO2 and 100% CO2.

Previous literature on the solubility of CaCO3 polymorphs have been critically evaluated using the aqueous model and the results are compared.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title The solubilities of calcite, aragonite and vaterite in CO2-H2O solutions between 0 and 90°C, and an evaluation of the aqueous model for the system CaCO3-CO2-H2O
Series title Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
DOI 10.1016/0016-7037(82)90056-4
Volume 46
Issue 6
Year Published 1982
Language English
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
First page 1011
Last page 1040
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details