Inorganic speciation of organotin(IV) cations in natural waters with particular reference to seawater

This paper examines the inorganic complexing capacity of seawater, where chloride and sulfate ions are present in high concentration, towards mono- di- and tri-organotin(IV) cations which show a different trend of acidity, depending on cation charges, and a corresponding tendency to hydrolysis. By considering hydrolytic species and chloride and sulphate complex formation, a basic inorganic speciation model of organotins in synthetic seawater (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, SO42−) has been built up. The model has been extended to also consider interactions of organotins with carbonate and fluoride ions, which are other important components of seawater. Because of the strength of hydrolysis processes, the main complexes formed are in general mixed hydroxo-species. No species are formed by organotin cations and/or their hydroxo-species with fluoride owing to their very low concentration in fluoride, in comparison to the other components of seawater. In order to simplify calculations and to establish a cumulative inorganic binding capacity for seawater, we applied a chemical complexation model, according to which the major inorganic components of seawater are considered as a single salt BA.