Nickel Speciation and Complexation Kinetics in Freshwater by Ligand Exchange and DPCSV

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 539 - 546
• Main Authors: Xue, Han Bin, Jansen, Stefan, Prasch, Andreas, Sigg, Laura
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.02.2001
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and physicochemical phenomena; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental impact; Exact sciences and technology; Kinetics; Laboratorium voor Fysische chemie en Kolloïdkunde; Ligands; Metals; Models, Theoretical; Natural water pollution; Nickel - chemistry; Oximes; Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Sewage; Soils; Switzerland; Water Pollutants - analysis; Water pollution; Water treatment and pollution; WIMEK; Complexation; Organic matter; Pollutant behavior; Geochemistry; Oxime; Stability constant; Nickel; Water pollution; Experimental study; Chemical reaction kinetics; Speciation; Heavy metal
• DOI: 10.1021/es0014638
• ISSN: 0013-936X

A technique of ligand exchange with DMG (dimethylglyoxime) and DPCSV was applied to determine Ni speciation in lake, river, and groundwater samples. The working conditions related to ligand-exchange equilibrium were optimized, and the ligand-exchange kinetics were examined. The observed pseudo-first-order rate, k obsd, was about 3 × 10-5 (s-1) for Ni(DMG)2 complex formation with an excess of DMG (μM) over Ni (nM) at pH 7.1−7.7. The second-order exchange kinetic constants, k exch, were between 1.2 × 102 and 5.7 × 103 s-1 M-1 for ligand exchange of NiEDTA with DMG and between 5 × 102 and 7 × 103 s-1 M-1 for exchange of natural ligands with DMG in the freshwater samples under similar conditions. Ni ligand exchange between natural ligands and DMG occurred over days with half-lifes of 5−95 h. Total dissolved Ni concentrations in samples from various freshwater systems in Switzerland ranged from 4 nM in an oligotrophic lake to 30 nM in a small river affected by inputs from sewage effluents and agriculture. Free ionic Ni2+ concentrations were determined in the range of 10-13−10-15 M (pNi =12.2−14.7), indicating that more than 99.9% of dissolved Ni was bound by organic ligands with strong affinity (log K 12.1−14.9) and low concentrations (13−100 nM) at pH 7.2−8.2. Because of slow ligand-exchange kinetics, Ni speciation in natural waters may in many cases not reach equilibrium.