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Fe(III) Reduction in the Presence of Catechol in Seawater

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Abstract

Fe(II)-Fe(III) redox behavior has been studied in the presence of catechol under different pH, ionic media, and organic compound concentrations. Catechol undergoes oxidation in oxic conditions producing semiquinone and quinone and reduces Fe(III) in natural solutions including seawater (SW). It is a pH-dependent process. Under darkness, the amount of Fe(II) generated is smaller and is related to less oxidation of catechol. The Fe(II) regeneration is higher at lower pH values both in SW with log k = 1.86 (M−1 s−1) at pH 7.3 and 0.26 (M−1 s−1) at pH 8.0, and in NaCl solutions with log k of 1.54 (M−1 s−1) at pH 7.3 and 0.57 (M−1 s−1) at pH 8.0. At higher pH values, rate constants are higher in NaCl solutions than in SW. This is due to the complexation of Mg(II) present in the media with the semiquinone that inhibits the formation of a second Fe(II) through the reaction of this intermediate with other center Fe(Cat)+.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Project CTM2006-09857 of Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología from Spain. F.J. Millero wishes to acknowledge the support of the Oceanographic Section of the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for supporting his marine physical chemistry studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

    J. Magdalena Santana-Casiano, M. González-Dávila & A. G. González

  2. Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, USA

    F. J. Millero

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  1. J. Magdalena Santana-Casiano
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  2. M. González-Dávila
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  3. A. G. González
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  4. F. J. Millero
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Correspondence to J. Magdalena Santana-Casiano.

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Santana-Casiano, J.M., González-Dávila, M., González, A.G. et al. Fe(III) Reduction in the Presence of Catechol in Seawater. Aquat Geochem 16, 467–482 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-009-9088-x

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