Calcium binding by fulvic acids studied by an ion selective electrode an ultrafiltration method.
The interaction between Ca(2+) and two well-characterized fulvic acids (Armadale and Laurentide FA) has been studied at 0.100 and 0.010M sodium nitrate using a fixed concentration of fulvic acid (100 ppm) and varying amounts of calcium (0.005-0.020 mmoles). Free calcium concentration was determined by in situ measurements employing a calcium electrode. For Armadale FA, free calcium was additionally determined via an ultrafiltration technique followed by atomic absorption measurements. For both fulvic acids, Ca(2+) binding was observed to be decreased by an increase in the ionic strength of the system. At the lower ionic strength the tendency for binding is dependent on the fulvic acid-to-metal ratio while at the higher ionic strength, the binding is insensitive to changes in the fulvic acid-to-metal ratio (an observation corroborating the contention that calcium binding to humic substances is primarily electrostatic). Comparison of the computed overall complex formation functions shows that values obtained from the ultrafiltration method were higher than those obtained using the calcium electrode. The binding of calcium was similar for the two fulvic acids.
Mathuthu
A S
AS
Department of Chemistry, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Ephraim
J H
JH