The solubility of SO2 and the dissociation of H2SO3 in NaCl solutions

The pK ₁ ^* and pK ₂ ^* of H₂SO₃ have been determined in NaCl solutions as a function of ionic strength (0.1 to 6 m) and temperature (5 and 25 °C). The extrapolated values in water were found to be in good agreement with literature data. The experimental results have been used to determine the Pitzer interaction parameters for SO₂, HSO ₃ ^- and SO ₃ ^- in NaCl solutions. The resultant parameters for NaHSO₃ and Na₂SO₃ were found to be in reasonable agreement with the values for NaHSO₄ and Na₂SO₄. It, thus, seems reasonable to assume that the interactions of Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ with HSO ₃ ^- and SO ₃ ^- can be estimated from the values with HSO ₄ ^- and SO ₄ ^- until experimental values are available. Measurements of pK ₁ ^* and pK ₂ ^* in artificial seawater were found to be in good agreement with the calculated values using the derived Pitzer parameters. It is, thus, possible to make reasonable estimates of the activity coefficients of HSO ₃ ^- and SO ₃ ^- ions and pK ₁ ^* and pK ₂ ^* for the ionization of H₂SO₃ in marine aerosols.