Measurement of the apparent dissociation constants of carbonic acid in seawater at atmospheric pressure

• Main Author: Mehrbach, Carl
• Other Authors: Pytkowicz, Ricardo M., Oceanography, Oregon State University. Graduate School
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English; unknown
• Published: Oregon State University
• Subjects: Seawater > Analysis; Carbonic acid
• Online Access: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/dz010s36m

The apparent dissociation constants of carbonic acid were determined as functions of temperature and salinity in seawater at atmospheric pressure. There is fair agreement between my values of K'₁ and those of Buch et al. (1932), Lyman (1956), and Hansson (1971). My values, on the average, are 6.7% lower than Buch et al.'s (1932), 4.6% smaller than Lyman's (1956), and 4.0% higher than Hansson's (1972). My values for K'₂ are smaller than those reported by other workers. They differ by 3.4% from Hansson's (1972) values, and 26% from Buch's (1938). Lyman's (1956) values are larger than mine by 3.2% at temperatures of 25°C and below, and greater by 13.4% at 35°C.