Thermodynamic parameters for the protonation and the interaction of arsenate with Mg2+, Ca2+and Sr2+: Application to natural waters

Thermodynamic parameters for the protonation of AsO43− and for the interaction with Mg2+, Ca2+ and Sr2+ were reported, comprehensive also of their dependence on ionic strength, considering the 0.1 ≤ I ≤ 1 M range and using NaCl as background salt. The same speciation models were obtained for Mg2+, Ca2+ and Sr2+ systems, with the formation of three different species: ML, MLH and MLH2 (L = AsO43−). Mono- and di-protonated species were very weak, with formation constant values (log K) ranging from 1.45 to 3.23. In order to have a complete picture of thermodynamic properties of the systems under study and to fill the shortage of thermodynamic data on arsenate complex systems, the ligand protonation and metal complex enthalpies were also determined by calorimetric titrations, at t = 25 °C and in NaCl at I = 0.7 M (for H+-AsO43- species also at I = 0.1 M). On the light of the proposed speciation models, examples of As(V) distribution in some natural waters are reported.