Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of Ionic Strength on H2O and Si-Species Stability Field Geometry in pH-Eh Space

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Aquatic Geochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Speciation diagrams in pH-Eh space at some pressure, temperature, and composition are highly useful in indicating the thermodynamic behavior expected in a system. While these diagrams are found frequently throughout geochemical literature, they often overlook the geometric behavior of stability fields and fail to address the specific impacts of ionic strength and fluid composition. Modeling results from the Salton Sea and Krafla geothermal sites suggest a positive correlation between ionic strength and the H2O(l) stability field area or reactivity domain. In addition, the Si-bearing species (selected due to the propensity of adverse scale occurrence) within the Salton Sea brine are shifted farther apart than the centroids of the same Si species in the comparatively dilute Krafla. These modeling observations imply that geothermal brines at equilibrium accommodate a larger H2O reactive field in pH-Eh space, allowing for the possibility that water–rock interactions could occur at pH-Eh conditions that would conventionally be unexpected if ionic strength is not considered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ármannsson H, Gudmundsson Á, Steingrímsson B (1987) Exploration and development of the Krafla geothermal area. Jokull 37:13–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnórsson S, Gunnlaugsson E, Svavarsson H (1983) The chemistry of geothermal waters in Iceland. II. Mineral equilibria and independent variables controlling water compositions. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 47:547–566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnórsson S, Bjarnason JÖ, Giroud N, Gunnarsson I, Stefánsson A (2006) Sampling and analysis of geothermal fluids. Geofluids 6:203–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bethke CM (1996) Geochemical reaction modeling: concepts and applications. Oxford University Press, New York City, p 397

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bethke CM (2008) Geochemical and biogeochemical reaction modeling, 3rd edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 564

    Google Scholar 

  • Bird DK, Norton DL (1981) Theoretical prediction of phase relations among aqueous solutions and minerals: Salton Sea geothermal system. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 45:1479–1493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bird DK, Schiffman P, Elders WA, Williams AE, McDowell SD (1984) Calc-silicate mineralization in active geothermal systems. Econ Geol 79:671–695

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Botti A, Bruni F, Imberti S, Ricci MA, Soper AK (2005) Solvation shell of H+ ions in water. J Mol Liq 117:77–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bourke P (1988) Calculating the area and centroid of a polygon, Swinburne University of Technology, chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://lexrent.eu/wp-content/uploads/torza/artikel_groep_sub_2_docs/BYZ_3_Polygon-Area-and-Centroid.pdf/. Accessed 28 April 2023

  • Bowman S, Agrawal V, Sharma S (2023) Role of pH and Eh in geothermal systems: thermodynamic examples and impacts on scaling and corrosion. Geothermics 111:102710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brookins DG (1986) Geochemical behavior of antimony, arsenic, cadmium and thallium: Eh-pH diagrams for 25 °C, 1-bar pressure. Chem Geol 54:271–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brookins DG (1988) Eh-pH diagrams for geochemistry. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, p 183

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Carrigan CR, Schubert G, Eichelberger JC (1992) Thermal and dynamical regimes of single-and two-phase magmatic flow in dikes. J Geophys Res 97:17377–17392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gallup DL (1989) Iron silicate scale formation and inhibition. Geothermics 18:97–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gammons CH, Seward TM (1996) Stability of manganese (II) chloride complexes from 25 to 300 °C. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 60:4295–4311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garrels RM, Christ CL (1965) Solutions, minerals, and equilibria. In: Croneis C (ed) Harper’s geoscience series, harper & row. New York City

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauksson T, Markusson S, Einarsson K, Karlsdóttir SN, Einarsson Á, Möller A, Sigmarsson Þ (2014) Pilot testing of handling the fluids from the IDDP-1 exploratory geothermal well, Krafla, N.E, Iceland. Geothermics 49:76–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helgeson HC (1969) Thermodynamics of hydrothermal systems at elevated temperatures and pressures. Am J Sci 267:729–804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heřmanská M, Stefánsson A, Scott S (2019) Supercritical fluids around magmatic intrusions: IDDP-1 at Krafla, Iceland. Geothermics 78:101–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inagson K, Kristjánsson V, Einarsson K (2014) Design and development of the discharge system at IDDP-1. Geothermics 49:58–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang L, Worden R, Yang C (2018) Thermochemical sulfate reduction can improve carbonate petroleum reservoir quality. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 223:127–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson JW, Oelkers EH, Helgeson HC (1992) SUPCRT92: a software package for calculating the standard molal thermodynamic properties of minerals, gases, aqueous species, and reactions from 1 to 5000 Bar and 0 to 1000 °C. Comput Geosci 18:899–947

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kristmannsdóttir H (1989) Types of scaling occurring by geothermal utilization in Iceland. Geothermics 18:183–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDowell SD, Elders WA (1980) Authigenic layer silicate minerals in borehole Elmore 1, Salton Sea geothermal field, California, USA. Contrib Mineral Petrol 74:293–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKibben MA, Williams AE (1989) Metal speciation and solubility in saline hydrothermal fluids: an empirical approach based on geothermal brine data. Econ Geol 84:1996–2007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLin KS, Moore JN, Hulen J, Bowman JR, Berard B (2006) Mineral characterization of scale deposits in injection wells; Coso and Salton Sea geothermal fields, CA, Proceedings thirty-first workshop on geothermal reservoir engineering, stanford university, 30 January–1 February 2006, Stanford

  • Parkhurst DL, Appelo CAJ (1999) User’s guide to PHREEQC (Version 2)-a computer program for speciation, batch-reaction, one-dimensional transport, and inverse geochemical calculations, US geological survey water-investigations report 99-4259, Denver, pp 326

  • Sato M (1992) Persistency-field Eh-pH diagrams for sulfides and their application to supergene oxidation and enrichment of sulfide ore bodies. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 56:3133–3156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott SW, Covell C, Júlíusson E, Valfells Á, Newson J, Hrafnkelsson B, Pálsson H, Gudjónsdóttir M (2019) A probabilistic geologic model of the Krafla geothermal system constrained by gravimetric data. Geotherm Energy 7:29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stefánsson A, Arnórsson S (2002) Gas pressures and redox reactions in geothermal fluids in Iceland. Chem Geol 190:251–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinthórsson S, Sveinbjörnsdóttir AE (1981) Opaque minerals in geothermal well No. 7, Krafla, Northern Iceland. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 10:245–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sveinbjörnsdóttir ÁE (1992) Composition of geothermal minerals from saline and dilute fluids-Krafla and Reykjanes, Iceland. Lithos 27:301–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takeno N (2005) Atlas of Eh-pH diagrams: intercomparison of thermodynamic databases, Geological survey of japan open file report no.419, National institute of advanced industrial science and technology, Research center for deep geological environments, pp 287

  • Thompson JM, Fournier RO (1988) Chemistry and geothermometry of brine produced from the Salton Sea scientific drill hole, Imperial Valley, California. J Geophys Res 93:13165–13173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vacquand C, Deville E, Beaumont V, Guyot F, Sissmann O, Pillot D, Arcilla C, Prinzhofer A (2018) Reduced gas seepages in ophiolitic complexes: evidence for multiple origins of the H2-CH4-N2 gas mixtures. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 223:437–461

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams AE, McKibben MA (1989) A brine interface in the Salton Sea geothermal system California: fluid geochemical and isotopic characteristics. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 53:1905–1920

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong GTF (1980) The oxidation state diagram-a potential tool for studying redox chemistry in seawater. Mar Chem 9:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors also acknowledge the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (DOE EERE) Geothermal Technologies Program Award # DE-EE0009597 to S. Sharma.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, 98 Beechurst Ave, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA

    Samuel Bowman, Arkajyoti Pathak, Vikas Agrawal & Shikha Sharma

Authors
  1. Samuel Bowman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Arkajyoti Pathak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vikas Agrawal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shikha Sharma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

S.B. devised the conceptual plan, performed the modeling calculations, performed the data analysis, wrote the manuscript and made the figures. A.P. devised the conceptual plan, and reviewed and edited the manuscript. V.A. devised the conceptual plan, and reviewed and edited the manuscript. S.S. devised the conceptual plan, and reviewed and edited the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samuel Bowman.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to declare.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bowman, S., Pathak, A., Agrawal, V. et al. Effect of Ionic Strength on H2O and Si-Species Stability Field Geometry in pH-Eh Space. Aquat Geochem 29, 207–218 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-023-09417-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-023-09417-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation