Theoretical considerations about the reactions of calcification in sea water

We examine the concentration variations of the different parameters X of the carbonate system in seawater when calcium carbonate precipitation occurs. Variations are expressed as ∂[X]/∂[Ca 2+]. Four different cases are considered: spontaneous chemical precipitation; calcification combined with photo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine chemistry 1999, Vol.63 (3), p.213-224
Main Authors: COPIN MONTEGUT, C, COPIN MONTEGUT, G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
calcium
carbon uptake
carbonate equilibria
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Geochemistry
Marine
marine calcification
Mineralogy
Physical and chemical properties of sea water
Physics of the oceans
Silicates
Water geochemistry
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Summary:We examine the concentration variations of the different parameters X of the carbonate system in seawater when calcium carbonate precipitation occurs. Variations are expressed as ∂[X]/∂[Ca 2+]. Four different cases are considered: spontaneous chemical precipitation; calcification combined with photosynthetic activity under a constant ΔCT/Δ[Ca 2+] ratio; precipitation under constant p CO 2 and precipitation under constant [Ca 2+]·[CO 3 2−] ionic concentration product. The last condition should be maintained by an ecosystem which, thanks to the regulation of its calcifying and photosynthetic activity, would absorb 1 mol of carbon for organic tissue each time 1 mol of CaCO 3 is formed. This stoichiometric ratio would allow the activity of these biological communities to go on in practically closed systems during periods compatible with their growth or development cycles.
ISSN:0304-4203
1872-7581
DOI:10.1016/S0304-4203(98)00063-2