Inorganic complexation of nickel and cobalt in natural waters

The distribution of nickel and cobalt species has been computed, based on the pH-dependent model of Zirino and Yamamoto. The media used in the pH range of 7 to 9 are natural waters like fresh water, sea water and a mixture of them at different compositions, at 25°C temperature and 1 atm pressure. In fresh water, both nickel and cobalt dominate as free cations at lower pH, and as carbonato complexes at higher pH. In sea water, chloro complexes are significant. In mixtures of the two kinds of water, as might be found in a totally mixed estuary, chloro complexes are important, varying slowly with pH. Sea water plays an important role in complexation. The present results are in excellent agreement with experimental data obtained by the resin exchange method.