Fe(III) mobilisation by carbonate in low temperature environments: Study of the solubility of ferrihydrite in carbonate media and the formation of Fe(III) carbonate complexes

• We have determined thermodynamic stabilities of Fe(III)-carbonate species.
• We have determined the effect of those species on the solubility of ferrihydrite.
• Results.
• Highlight the importance of two Fe(III)-carbonate: FeOHCO3 and Fe(CO3)33−.

The linkage between the iron and the carbon cycles is of paramount importance to understand and quantify the effect of increased CO2 concentrations in natural waters on the mobility of iron and associated trace elements. In this context, we have quantified the thermodynamic stability of mixed Fe(III) hydroxo-carbonate complexes and their effect on the solubility of Fe(III) oxihydroxides. We present the results of carefully performed solubility measurements of 2-line ferrihydrite in the slightly acidic to neutral–alkaline pH ranges (3.8–8.7) under constant pCO2 varying between (0.982–98.154 kPa) at 25 °C.The outcome of the work indicates the predominance of two Fe(III) hydroxo carbonate complexes FeOHCO3 and Fe(CO3)33−, with formation constants log*β°1,1,1 = 10.76 ± 0.38 and log β°1,0,3 = 24.24 ± 0.42, respectively.The solubility constant for the ferrihydrite used in this study was determined in acid conditions (pH: 1.8–3.2) in the absence of CO2 and at T = (25 ± 1) °C, as log*Ks,0 = 1.19 ± 0.41.The relative stability of the Fe(III)-carbonate complexes in alkaline pH conditions has implications for the solubility of Fe(III) in CO2-rich environments and the subsequent mobilisation of associated trace metals that will be explored in subsequent papers.

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