Isosaccharinate Complexes of Fe(III)

Prior to this study there were no thermodynamic data for isosaccharinate (ISA) complexes of Fe(III) in the environmental range of pH (>~4.5). This study was undertaken to obtain such data in order to predict Fe(III) behavior in the presence of ISA. The solubility of Fe(OH)₃(2-line ferrihydrite), referred to as Fe(OH)₃(s), was studied at 22?±?2?°C in: (1) very acidic (0.01?mol·dm^?3 H⁺) to highly alkaline conditions (3?mol·dm^?3 NaOH) as a function of time (11?C421?days), and fixed concentrations of 0.01 or 0.001?mol·dm^?3 NaISA; and (2) as a function of NaISA concentrations ranging from approximately 0.0001 to 0.256?mol·dm^?3 and at fixed pH values of approximately 4.5 and 11.6 to determine the ISA complexes of Fe(III). The data were interpreted using the SIT model that included previously reported stability constants for $ {{\text{Fe(ISA}})_{n}}^{3 - n} $ (with n varying from 1 to 4) and Fe(III)?COH complexes, and the solubility product for Fe(OH)₃(s) along with the values for two additional complexes (Fe(OH)₂(ISA)(aq) and $ {\text{Fe(OH)}}_{ 3} ( {{\text{ISA}})_{2}}^{2 - } $ ) determined in this study. These extensive data provided a log₁₀ K ⁰ value of 1.55?±?0.38 for the reaction $ ({\text{Fe}}^{ 3+ } + {\text{ISA}}^{-} + 2 {\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}} \rightleftarrows {\text{Fe(OH}})_{ 2} {\text{ISA(aq}}) + 2 {\text{H}}^{ + } ) $ and a value of ?3.27?±?0.32 for the reaction $ ({\text{Fe}}^{ 3+ } + 2 {\text{ISA}}^{-} + 3 {\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}} \rightleftarrows {\text{Fe(OH)}}_{ 3} ( {\text{ISA}})_{2}^{2 - } + 3 {\text{H}}^{ + } ) $ and show that ISA forms strong complexes with Fe(III) which significantly increase the Fe(OH)₃(s) solubility at pH?<~12. Thermodynamic calculations show that competition of Fe(III) with tetravalent ions for ISA does not significantly affect the solubilities of tetravalent hydrous oxides (e.g., Th and Np(IV)) in ISA solutions.