Overlooked Formation of Carbonate Radical Anions in the Oxidation of Iron(II) by Oxygen in the Presence of Bicarbonate

Iron(II), (Fe(H₂O)₆²⁺, (Fe^II) participates in many reactions of natural and biological importance. It is critically important to understand the rates and the mechanism of Fe^II oxidation by dissolved molecular oxygen, O₂, under environmental conditions containing bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻), which exists up to millimolar concentrations. In the absence and presence of HCO₃⁻, the formation of reactive oxygen species (O₂⋅⁻, H₂O₂, and HO⋅) in Fe^II oxidation by O₂ has been suggested. In contrast, our study demonstrates for the first time the rapid generation of carbonate radical anions (CO₃⋅⁻) in the oxidation of Fe^II by O₂ in the presence of bicarbonate, HCO₃⁻. The rate of the formation of CO₃⋅⁻ may be expressed as dCO₃⋅⁻]/dt=Fe^IIO₂]HCO₃⁻]². The formation of reactive species was investigated using ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) and gas chromatographic techniques. The study presented herein provides new insights into the reaction mechanism of Fe^II oxidation by O₂ in the presence of bicarbonate and highlights the importance of considering the formation of CO₃⋅⁻ in the geochemical cycling of iron and carbon.