Dissociation constants and speciation in aqueous Li2SO4 and K2SO4 from measurements of electrical conductance to 673 K and 29 MPa

The electrical conductivities of aqueous solutions of Li₂SO₄ and K₂SO₄ have been measured at 523-673 K at 20-29 MPa in dilute solutions for molalities up to 2 × 10⁻² mol kg⁻¹. These conductivities have been fitted to the conductance equation of Turq, Blum, Bernard, and Kunz with a consensus mixing rule and mean spherical approximation activity coefficients. In the temperature interval 523-653 K, where the dielectric constant, ε, is greater than 14, the electrical conductance data can be fitted by a solution model which includes ion association to form , , and , where M is Li or K. The adjustable parameters of this model are the first and second dissociation constants of the M₂SO₄. For the 673 K and 300 kg m⁻³ state point where the Coulomb interactions are the strongest (dielectric constant, ε = 5), models with more extensive association give good fits to the data. In the case of the Li₂SO₄ model, including the multi-ion associate, , gave an extremely good fit to the conductance data.     

Acoustic velocity measurements on Na2O-TiO2-SiO2 liquids: Evidence for a highly compressible TiO2 component related to five-coordinated Ti

Longitudinal acoustic velocities were measured at 1 bar in 10 Na₂O-TiO₂-SiO₂ (NTS) liquids for which previous density and thermal expansion data are reported in the literature. Data were collected with a frequency-sweep acoustic interferometer at centered frequencies of 4.5, 5, and 6 MHz between 1233 and 1896 K; in all cases, the sound speeds decrease with increasing temperature. Six of the liquids have a similar TiO₂ concentration (∼25 mol %), so that the effect of varying Na/Si ratio on the partial molar compressibility of the TiO₂ component can be evaluated. Theoretically based models for β_T and (∂V/∂P)_T as a function of composition and temperature are presented. As found previously for the partial molar volume of TiO₂ in sodium silicate melts, values of (13.7-18.8 × 10⁻²/GPa) vary systematically with the Na/Si and Na/(Si + Ti) ratio in the liquid. In contrast values of for the SiO₂ and Na₂O components (6.6 and 8.0 × 10⁻²/GPa, respectively, at 1573 K) are independent of composition. Na₂O is the only component that contributes to the temperature dependence of the compressibility of NTS liquids (1.13 ± 0.04 × 10⁻⁴/GPa K). The results further indicate that the TiO₂ component is twice as compressible as the Na₂O and SiO₂ components. The enhanced compressibility of TiO₂ appears to be related to the abundance of five-coordinated Ti (^[5]Ti) in these liquids, but not with a change in Ti coordination. Instead, it is proposed that the asymmetric geometry of ^[5]Ti in a square pyramidal site promotes different topological rearrangements in alkali titanosilicate liquids, which lead to the enhanced compressibility of TiO₂.     

Dawsonite synthesis and reevaluation of its thermodynamic properties from solubility measurements: Implications for mineral trapping of CO2

Over the last decade, a significant research effort has focused on determining the feasibility of sequestering large amounts of CO₂ in deep, permeable geologic formations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. Most models indicate that injection of CO₂ into deep sedimentary formations will lead to the formation of various carbonate minerals, including the common phases calcite (CaCO₃), dolomite (CaMg(CO₃)₂), magnesite (MgCO₃), siderite (FeCO₃), as well as the far less common mineral, dawsonite (NaAlCO₃(OH)₂). Nevertheless, the equilibrium and kinetics that control the precipitation of stable carbonate minerals are poorly understood and few experiments have been performed to validate computer codes that model CO₂ sequestration.In order to reduce this uncertainty we measured the solubility of synthetic dawsonite according to the equilibrium: , from under- and oversaturated solutions at 50-200 °C in basic media at 1.0 mol · kg⁻¹ NaCl. The solubility products (Q_s) obtained were extrapolated to infinite dilution to obtain the solubility constants (. Combining the fit of these values and fixing  at 25 °C, which was derived from the calorimetric data of Ferrante et al. [Ferrante, M.J., Stuve, J.M., and Richardson, D.W., 1976. Thermodynamic data for synthetic dawsonite. U.S. Bureau of Mines Report Investigation, 8129, Washington, D.C., 13p.], the following thermodynamic parameters for the dissolution of dawsonite were calculated at 25 °C: , and . Subsequently, we were able to derive values for the Gibbs energy of formation (, enthalpy of formation ( and entropy ( of dawsonite. These results are within the combined experimental uncertainties of the values reported by Ferrante et al. (1976). Predominance diagrams are presented for the dawsonite/boehmite and dawsonite/bayerite equilibria at 100 °C in the presence of a saline solution with and without silica-containing minerals.     

Complexation of Cu in Hydrothermal NaCl Brines: Ab initio molecular dynamics and energetics

Chloride complexation of Cu⁺ controls the solubility of copper(I) oxide and sulfide ore minerals in hydrothermal and diagenetic fluids. Solubility measurements and optical spectra of high temperature CuCl solutions have been interpreted as indicating the formation of CuCl, , and complexes. However, no other monovalent cation forms tri- and tetrachloro complexes. EXAFS spectra of high temperature Cu-Cl solutions, moreover, appear to show only CuCl and complexes at T > 100 °C. To reconcile these results, I investigated the nature and stability of Cu-Cl complexes using ab initio cluster calculations and ab initio (Car-Parrinello) molecular dynamics simulations for CuCl-NaCl-H₂O systems at 25 to 450 °C. Ab initio molecular dynamic simulations of 1 m CuCl in a 4 m Cl solution give a stable complex at 25 °C over 4 ps but show that the third Cl⁻ is weakly bound. When the temperature is increased along the liquid-vapour saturation curve to 125 °C, the complex dissociates into and Cl⁻; only forms at 325 °C and 1 kbar. Even in a 15.6 m Cl brine at 450 °C, only the complex forms over a 4 ps simulation run.Cluster calculations with a static dielectric continuum solvation field (COSMO) were used in an attempt directly estimate free energies of complex formation in aqueous solution. Consistent with the MD simulations, the complex is slightly stable at 25 °C but decreases in stability with decreasing dielectric constant (ε). The complex is predicted to be unstable at 25 °C and becomes increasingly unstable with decreasing dielectric constant. In hydrothermal fluids (ε < 30) both the and complexes are unstable to dissociation into and Cl⁻.The results obtained here are at odds with recent equations of state that predict and complexes are the predominant species in hydrothermal brines. In contrast, I predict that only complexes will be significant at T > 125 °C, even in NaCl-saturated brines. The high-temperature (T > 125 °C) optical spectra of CuCl solutions and solubility measurements of Cu minerals in Cl-brines need to be reinterpreted in terms of only the CuCl and complexes.     

Groundwater N speciation and redox control of organic N mineralization by O2 reduction to H2O2

Excess N from agriculture induces eutrophication in major river systems and hypoxia in coastal waters throughout the world. Much of this N is from headwaters far up the watersheds. In turn, much of the N in these headwaters is from ground-water discharge. Consequently, the concentrations and forms of N in groundwater are important factors affecting major aquatic ecosystems; despite this, few data exist for several species of N in groundwater and controls on speciation are ill-defined. Herein, we report N speciation for a spring and well that were selected to reflect agricultural impacts, and a spring and well that show little to no agricultural-N impact. Samples were characterized for NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, N₂O, NH₄⁺, urea, particulate organic N(), and dissolved organic N(). These analytes were monitored in the agricultural spring for up to two years along with other analytes that we reported upon previously. For all samples, when oxidized N was present, the dominant species was NO₃⁻ (88-98% of total fixed N pool) followed by (<4-12%) and only trace fractions of the other N analytes. In the non-agriculturally impacted well sample, which had no quantifiable NO₃⁻ or dissolved O₂, comprised the dominant fraction (68%) followed by NH₄⁺ (32%), with only a trace balance comprised of other N analytes. Water drawn from the well, spring and a wetland situated in the agricultural watershed also were analyzed for dissolved N₂ and found to have a fugacity in excess of that of the atmosphere. H₂O₂ was analyzed in the agricultural spring to evaluate the O₂/H₂O₂ redox potential and compare it to other calculated potentials. The potential of the O₂/H₂O₂ couple was close in value to the NO₃⁻/NO₂⁻ couple suggesting the important role of H₂O₂ as an O₂-reduction intermediate product and that O₂ and NO₃⁻ are reduced concomitantly. The O₂/H₂O₂ and NO₃⁻/NO₂⁻ couples also were close in value to a cluster of other inorganic N and Fe couples indicating near partial equilibrium among these species. Urea mineralization to NO₂⁻ was found to approach equilibrium with the reduction of O₂ to H₂O₂. By modeling as amide functional groups, as justified by recent analytical work, similar thermodynamic calculations support that mineralization to NO₂⁻ proceeds nearly to equilibrium with the reduction of O₂ to H₂O₂ as well. This near equilibration of redox couples for urea- and -oxidation with O₂-reduction places these two couples within the oxidized redox cluster that is shared among several other couples we have reported previously. In the monitored agricultural spring, [NO₃⁻] was lower in the summer than at other times, whereas [N₂O] was higher in the summer than at other times, perhaps reflecting a seasonal variation in the degree of denitrification reaction progress. No other N analytes were observed to vary seasonally in our study. In the well having no agricultural-N impact, C_org/N_org = 5.5, close to the typical value for natural aqueous systems of about 6.6. In the agricultural watershed C_org/N_org varied widely, from ∼1.2 to ?9.     

Modeling the effects of bond environment on equilibrium iron isotope fractionation in ferric aquo-chloro complexes

Four or five sets of ab initio models, including Unrestricted Hartree Fock (UHF) and hybrid Density Functional Theory (DFT) are calculated for each species in a series of aqueous ferric aquo-chloro complexes: , , , FeCl₃(H₂O)₃, FeCl₃(H₂O)₂, , FeCl₅H₂O²⁻, , ) in order to determine the relative isotopic fractionation among the complexes, to compare the results of different models for the same complexes, to examine factors that influence the magnitude of the isotopic fractionation, and to compare bond-partner-driven fractionation with redox-driven fractionation.Relative to , all models show a nearly linear decrease in ⁵⁶Fe/⁵⁴Fe as the number of Cl⁻ ions per Fe³⁺ ion increases, with slopes of −0.8‰ to −1.0‰ per Cl⁻ at 20 °C. At 20 °C, 1000 ln β (β = ⁵⁶Fe/⁵⁴Fe reduced partition function ratio relative to a dissociated Fe atom) values range from 8.93‰ to 9.73‰ for , 8.04-9.12‰ for , 7.61-8.73‰ for , 7.14-8.25‰ for , and 3.09-4.41‰ for . The fractionation between and ranges from 1.5‰ to 2.6‰, depending on the model; this is comparable in magnitude to fractionation effects due to Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ redox reactions. β values from the UHF models are consistently higher than those from the hybrid DFT models.Isotopic fractionation is shown to be sensitive to differences in ligand bond stiffness (above), coordination number, bond length, and the frequency of the asymmetric Fe-X stretching vibrational mode, as predicted by previous theoretical studies. Complexes with smaller coordination numbers have higher 1000 ln β (7.46‰, 5.25‰, and 3.48‰ for , ,, respectively, from the B3LYP/6-31G(d) model). Species with the same number of chlorides but fewer waters also show the effect of coordination number on 1000 ln β: (7.46‰ vs. 7.05‰ for FeCl₃(H₂O)₂ vs. FeCl₃(H₂O)₃ and 5.25‰ vs. 4.94‰ for vs. FeCl₅H₂O²⁻ with the B3LYP/6-31G(d) model). As more Fe-Cl bonds substitute for Fe-OH₂ bonds (with a resulting decrease in β), the lengths of the Fe-Cl bonds and the Fe-O bonds increase.Preliminary modeling of shows an Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ fractionation of 3.2‰ for the B3LYP/6-31G(d) model, in agreement with previous studies. The addition of an explicit outer hydration sphere of 12 H₂O molecules to models of improves agreement with measured vibrational frequencies and bond lengths; 1000 ln β increases by 0.8-1.0‰. An additional hydration sphere around increases 1000 ln β by only 0.1‰.Isotopic fractionations predicted for this simple system imply that ligands present in an aqueous iron environment are potentially important drivers of fractionation, and suggest that significant fractionation effects are likely in other aqueous systems containing sulfides or organic ligands. Fractionation effects due to both speciation and redox must be considered when interpreting iron isotope fractionations in the geological record.     

Solid solutions of trace Eu(III) in calcite: Thermodynamic evaluation of experimental data over a wide range of pH and pCO2

The thermodynamics of dilute Eu-calcite solid solutions formed under widely different pH-pCO₂ conditions at T = 25°C and p = 1 bar were investigated using three sets of Eu(III) uptake experiments, two of which were taken from the literature: (a) recrystallization in synthetic cement pore water at pH ∼ 13 and pCO₂ ∼ 10⁻¹³ bar (this work); (b) coprecipitation in 0.1 M NaClO₄ at pH ∼ 6 and pCO₂ ∼ 1 bar; (c) coprecipitation in synthetic seawater at pH ∼ 8 and pCO₂ ranging from 3 × 10⁻⁴ to 0.3 bar.Solid solution formation was modeled using the Gibbs energy minimization (GEM) method. In a first step (“forward” modeling), we tested ideal binary solid solution models between calcite and the Eu end-members Eu₂(CO₃)_3, EuNa(CO₃)₂, Eu(OH)CO₃ or Eu(OH)₃, for which solids with independently measured solubility products exist. None of these four binary solid solutions was capable of reproducing all three experimental datasets simultaneously. In a second step (“inverse” modeling), ideal binary solid solutions were constructed between calcite and the candidate Eu end-members EuO(OH), EuH(CO₃)₂ and EuO(CO₃)_0.5, for which no independent solubility products are available. For each single data point and each of these end-members, a free energy of formation with inherent activity coefficient term ( = G_α^o + RT lnγ_α) was estimated from “dual thermodynamic” GEM calculations. The statistical mean of was then calculated for each of the three datasets. A specific end-member was considered to be acceptable if a standard deviation of ± 2 kJ mol⁻¹ or less resulted for each single dataset, and if the mean -values calculated for the three datasets coincided. No binary solid solution with any of the seven above mentioned end-members proved to satisfy these criteria.The third step in our analysis involved consideration of ternary solid solutions with CaCO₃ as the major end-member and any two of the seven considered Eu trace end-members. It was found that the three datasets can only be reproduced simultaneously with the ternary ideal solid solution EuH(CO₃)₂ - EuO(OH) - CaCO₃, setting = −1773 kJ mol⁻¹ and = −955 kJ mol⁻¹, whereas all other end-member combinations failed. Our results are consistent with time-resolved laser fluorescence data for Cm(III) and Eu(III) indicating that two distinct species are incorporated in calcite: one partially hydrated, the other completely dehydrated. In conclusion, our study shows that substitution of trivalent for divalent cations in carbonate crystal structures is a more complex process than the classical isomorphic divalent-divalent substitution and may need consideration of multicomponent solid solution models.     

Microbial ammonia oxidation and enhanced nitrogen cycling in the Endeavour hydrothermal plume

Ammonium was injected from the subseafloor hydrothermal system at the Endeavour Segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge, into the deep-sea water column resulting in an -rich (?177 nM) neutrally buoyant hydrothermal plume. This was quickly removed by both autotrophic ammonia oxidation and assimilation. The former accounted for at least 93% of total net removal, with its maximum rate in the neutrally buoyant plume (?53 nM d⁻¹) up to 10-fold that in background deep water. Ammonia oxidation in this plume potentially added 26-130 mg into the deep-sea water column. This oxidation process was heavily influenced by the presence of organic-rich particles, with which ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were often associated (40-68%). AOB contributed up to 10.8% of the total microbial communities within the plume, and might constitute a novel lineage of β-proteobacterial AOB based on 16S rRNA and amoA phylogenetic analyses. Meanwhile, assimilation rates were also substantially enhanced within the neutrally buoyant plume (?26.4 nM d⁻¹) and accounted for at least 47% of total net removal rates. The combined oxidation and assimilation rates always exceeded total net removal rates, suggesting active in situregeneration rates of at least an order of magnitude greater than the particulate nitrogen flux from the euphotic zone. Ammonia oxidation is responsible for turnover of 0.7-13 days and is probably the predominant in situ organic carbon production process (0.6-13 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) at early stages of Endeavour neutrally buoyant plumes.     

Solubility of NaCl in CO2 at high pressure and temperature: First experimental measurements

NaCl solubility in gaseous carbon dioxide has been measured in the pressure range from 30 to 70 MPa at 623 and 673 K. Our originally-designed high pressure apparatus allows in situ sampling of a portion of the fluid phase for chemical analysis. The results indicate that the solubility of NaCl increases with both temperature and pressure, and is about 4-5 orders of magnitude higher than saturated NaCl pressure values at the same temperature conditions (6.02 × 10⁻¹² at 623 K and 1.51 × 10⁻¹⁰ at 673 K). It is also 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than predictions according to the Equation of State of the ternary H₂O-CO₂-NaCl system by Duan, Moeller and Weare [Duan, Z., Moller, N., and Weare, J. H. (1995) Equation of state for the NaCl-H₂O-CO₂ system: prediction of phase equilibria and volumetric properties. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta59, 2869] and has the opposite pressure dependence. The activity values of NaCl in the vapor phase, calculated from the experiments (with pure molten NaCl as a standard state in the vapor), have been fitted to the Darken Quadratic Formalism: , where, x_NaCl,v is mole the fraction of NaCl in the vapor phase, , , where P is the pressure in MPa and T the absolute temperature. Caution should be exerted while extrapolating this empirical equation far beyond the experimental P-T-compositional range.     

Olivine/melt transition metal partitioning, melt composition, and melt structure—Influence of Al for Si substitution in the tetrahedral network of silicate melts

The influence on olivine/melt transition metal (Mn, Co, Ni) partitioning of substitution in the tetrahedral network of silicate melt structure has been examined at ambient pressure in the 1450-1550 °C temperature range. Experiments were conducted in the systems NaAlSiO₄-Mg₂SiO₄- SiO₂ and CaAl₂Si₂O₈-Mg₂SiO₄-SiO₂ with about 1 wt% each of MnO, CoO, and NiO added. These compositions were used to evaluate how, in silicate melts, substitution and ionization potential of charge-balancing cations affect activity-composition relations in silicate melts and mineral/melt partitioning.The exchange equilibrium coefficient, , is a positive and linear function of melt Al/(Al + Si) at constant degree of melt polymerization, NBO/T. The is negatively correlated with the ionic radius, r, of the M-cation and also with the ionization potential (Z/r², Z = electrical charge) of the cation that serves to charge-balance Al³⁺ in tetrahedral coordination in the melts. The activity coefficient ratio, (γ_M/γ_Mg)^melt, is therefore similarly correlated.These melt composition relationships are governed by the distribution of Al³⁺ among coexisting Q-species in the peralkaline (depolymerized) melts coexisting with olivine. This distribution controls Q-speciation abundance, which, in turn, controls (γ_M/γ_Mg)^melt and . The relations between melt structure and olivine/melt partitioning behavior lead to the suggestion that in natural magmatic systems mineral/melt partition coefficients are more dependent on melt composition and, therefore, melt structure the more alkali-rich and the more felsic the melt. Moreover, mineral/melt partition coefficients are more sensitive to melt composition the more highly charged or the smaller the ionic radius of the cation of interest.     

An experimental study of Cobalt (II) complexation in Cl and H2S-bearing hydrothermal solutions

The speciation of cobalt (II) in Cl⁻ and H₂S-bearing solutions was investigated spectrophotometrically at temperatures of 200, 250, and 300 °C and a pressure of 100 bars, and by measuring the solubility of cobaltpentlandite at temperatures of 120-300 °C and variable pressures of H₂S. From the results of these experiments, it is evident that CoHS⁺ and predominate in the solutions except at 150 °C, for which the dominant chloride complex is CoCl₃⁻. The logarithms of the stability constant for CoHS⁺ show moderate variation with temperature, decreasing from 6.24 at 120 °C to 5.84 at 200 °C, and increasing to 6.52 at 300 °C. Formation constants for chloride species increase smoothly with temperature and at 300°C their logarithms reach 8.33 for , 6.44 for CoCl₃⁻, 4.94 to 5.36 for , and 2.42 for CoCl⁺. Calculations based on the composition of a model hydrothermal fluid (Ksp-Mu-Qz, KCl = 0.25 m, NaCl = 0.75 m, ΣS = 0.3 m) suggest that at temperatures ?200 °C, cobalt occurs dominantly as CoHS⁺, whereas at higher temperatures the dominant species is .     

The solubility of platinum and gold in NaCl brines at 1.5 kbar, 600 to 800°C: A laser ablation ICP-MS pilot study of synthetic fluid inclusions

The concentration and distribution of Pt and Au in a fluid-melt system has been investigated by reacting the metals with S-free, single-phase aqueous brines (20, 50, 70 wt% eq. NaCl) ± peraluminous melt at a confining pressure of 1.5 kbar and temperatures of 600 to 800 °C, trapping the fluid in synthetic fluid inclusions (quartz-hosted) and vesicles (silicate melt-hosted), and quantifying the metal content of the trapped fluid and glass by laser ablation ICP-MS. HCl concentration was buffered using the assemblage albite-andalusite-quartz and fO₂ was buffered using the assemblage Ni-NiO. Over the range of experimental conditions, measured concentrations of Pt and Au in the brines (, ) are on on the order of 1-10³ ppm. Concentrations of Pt and Au in the melt (, ) are ∼35-100 ppb and ∼400-1200 ppb, respectively. Nernst partition coefficients (, ) are on the order of 10²-10³ and vary as a function of (non-Henry’s Law behavior). Trapped fluids show a significant range of metal concentrations within populations of inclusions from single experiments (∼ 1 log unit variability for Au; ∼2-3 log unit variability for Pt). Variability in metal concentration within single inclusion groups is attributed to premature brine entrapment (prior to metal-fluid-melt equilibrium being reached); this allows us to make only minimum estimates of metal solubility using metal concentrations from primary inclusions. The data show two trends: (i) maximum and average values of and in inclusions decrease ∼2 orders of magnitude as fluid salinity () increases from ∼4 to 40 molal (20 to 70 wt % eq. NaCl) at a constant temperature; (ii) maximum and average values of increase approximately 1 order of magnitude for every 100°C increase temperature at a fixed . The observed behavior may be described by the general expression:

     

Thermodynamic properties of anhydrous smectite MX-80, illite IMt-2 and mixed-layer illite-smectite ISCz-1 as determined by calorimetric methods. Part I: Heat capacities, heat contents and entropies

The heat capacities of the anhydrous international reference clay minerals, smectite MX-80, illite IMt-2 and mixed-layer illite-smectite ISCz-1, were measured by low temperature adiabatic calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry, from 6 to 520 K (at 1 bar). The samples were chemically purified and Na-saturated. Dehydrated clay fractions <2 μm were studied. The structural formulae of the corresponding clay minerals, obtained after subtracting the remaining impurities, are K_0.026Na_0.435Ca_0.010(Si_3.612Al_0.388) (Al_1.593Mg_0.228Ti_0.011)O₁₀(OH)₂ for smectite MX-80, K_0.762Na_0.044(Si_3.387Al_0.613) (Al_1.427Mg_0.241O₁₀(OH)₂ for illite IMt-2 and K_0.530Na_0.135(Si_3.565Al_0.435)(Al_1.709Mg_0.218Ti_0.005)O₁₀(OH)₂for mixed-layer ISCz-1. From the heat capacity values, we determined the molar entropies, standard entropies of formation and heat contents of these minerals. The following values were obtained at 298.15 K and 1 bar:

	(J mol−1 K−1)	S0 (J mol−1 K−1)
Smectite MX-80	326.13 ± 0.10	280.56 ± 0.16
Illite IMt-2	328.21 ± 0.10	295.05 ± 0.17
Mixed-layer ISCz-1	320.79 ± 0.10	281.62 ± 0.15

Full-size table

     

Coupled phase and aqueous species equilibrium of the H2O-CO2-NaCl-CaCO3 system from 0 to 250 °C, 1 to 1000 bar with NaCl concentrations up to saturation of halite

A model is developed for the calculation of coupled phase and aqueous species equilibrium in the H₂O-CO₂-NaCl-CaCO₃ system from 0 to 250 °C, 1 to 1000 bar with NaCl concentrations up to saturation of halite. The vapor-liquid-solid (calcite, halite) equilibrium together with the chemical equilibrium of H⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, , Ca(OH)⁺, OH⁻, Cl⁻, , , CO_2(aq) and CaCO_3(aq) in the aqueous liquid phase as a function of temperature, pressure, NaCl concentrations, CO_2(aq) concentrations can be calculated, with accuracy close to those of experiments in the stated T-P-m range, hence calcite solubility, CO₂ gas solubility, alkalinity and pH values can be accurately calculated. The merit and advantage of this model is its predictability, the model was generally not constructed by fitting experimental data.One of the focuses of this study is to predict calcite solubility, with accuracy consistent with the works in previous experimental studies. The resulted model reproduces the following: (1) as temperature increases, the calcite solubility decreases. For example, when temperature increases from 273 to 373 K, calcite solubility decreases by about 50%; (2) with the increase of pressure, calcite solubility increases. For example, at 373 K changing pressure from 10 to 500 bar may increase calcite solubility by as much as 30%; (3) dissolved CO₂ can increase calcite solubility substantially; (4) increasing concentration of NaCl up to 2 m will increase calcite solubility, but further increasing NaCl solubility beyond 2 m will decrease its solubility.The functionality of pH value, alkalinity, CO₂ gas solubility, and the concentrations of many aqueous species with temperature, pressure and NaCl_(aq) concentrations can be found from the application of this model. Online calculation is made available on www.geochem-model.org/models/h2o_co2_nacl_caco3/calc.php.     

Carbon solubility in core melts in a shallow magma ocean environment and distribution of carbon between the Earth’s core and the mantle

The solubility of carbon in Fe and Fe-5.2 wt.% Ni melts, saturated with graphite, determined by electron microprobe analysis of quenched metal melts was 5.8 ± 0.1 wt.% at 2000 °C, 6.7 ± 0.2 wt.% at 2200 °C, and 7.4 ± 0.2 wt.% at 2410 °C at 2 GPa, conditions relevant for core/mantle differentiation in a shallow magma ocean. These solubilities are slightly lower than low-pressure literature values and significantly beneath calculated values for even higher pressures [e.g., Wood B. J. (1993) Carbon in the core. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.117, 593-607]. The trend of C solubility versus temperature for Fe-5.2 wt.% Ni melt, within analytical uncertainties, is similar to or slightly lower (∼0.2-0.4 wt.%) than that of pure Fe. Carbon content of core melts and residual mantle silicates derived from equilibrium batch or fractional segregation of core liquids and their comparison with our solubility data and carbon content estimate of the present day mantle, respectively, constrain the partition coefficient of carbon between silicate and metallic melts, in a magma ocean. For the entire range of possible bulk Earth carbon content from chondritic to subchondritic values, of 10⁻⁴ to 1 is derived. But for ∼1000 ppm bulk Earth carbon, is between 10⁻² and 1. Using the complete range of possible for a magma ocean at ∼2200 °C, we predict maximum carbon content of the Earth’s core to be ∼6-7 wt.% and a preferred value of 0.25 ± 0.15 wt.% for a bulk Earth carbon concentration of ∼1000 ppm.     

Zinc complexation in aqueous sulfide solutions: Determination of the stoichiometry and stability of complexes via ZnS(cr) solubility measurements at 100 °C and 150 bars

The solubility of ZnS_(cr) was measured at 100 °C, 150 bars in sulfide solutions as a function of sulfur concentration (m(S_total) = 0.02-0.15) and acidity (pH_t = 2-11). The experiments were conducted using a Ti flow-through hydrothermal reactor enabling the sampling of large volumes of solutions at experimental conditions, with the subsequent concentration and determination of trace quantities of Zn. Prior to the experiments, a long-term in situ conditioning of the solid phase was performed in order to attain the reproducible Zn concentrations (i.e. solubilities). The ZnS_(cr) solubility product was monitored in the course of the experiment. The following species were found to account for Zn speciation in solution: Zn²⁺ (pH_t < 3), (pH_t 3-4.5), (pH_t 5-8), and ZnS(HS)⁻ (pH_t > 8) (pH_t predominance regions are given for m(S_total) = 0.1). Solubility data collected in this study at pH_t > 3 were combined with the ZnS_(cr) solubility product determined at lower pH to yield the following equilibrium constants (t = 100 °C, P = 150 bars):