Diffusion coefficients of major ions in seawater

Self-diffusion coefficients of five major ions have been determined by a radioactive tracer method (capillary tube method) in seawater of salinity 34.86 at 25°C. Data are presented for Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄², and HCO₃⁻, which constitute about 95% by weight of sea salt. The influence of temperature and salinity on these coefficients has been studied for Na⁺ and Cl⁻ which are the major components of sea salt: self-diffusion coefficients of these two ions have been measured in seawater, at different temperatures for a salinity of 34.86 and at different salinities for a temperature of 25°C. Diffusion coefficients of the same ions have been determined at 25°C by using another radioactive tracer method (quasi-steady cell method). In this experiment, seawater ions were allowed to diffuse from natural seawater into dilute seawater. Data have been obtained at 25°C for Na⁺, Ca ²⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻ and HCO₃⁻, corresponding to different salinity gradients.