Total boron
The total boron (BT) is the sum of boron species in a solution. In the environment these species usually include boric acid and borate, for example:
- BT = [H2BO−3] + [H3BO3]
where
- BT is the total boron concentration
- [H2BO−3] is the dihydrogen borate concentration
- [H3BO3] is the boric acid concentration
Importance
Total boron is an important quantity when determining alkalinity due to borate's contribution to a solution's acid neutraling capacity. Total boron is a conservative element in seawater, and can thus be calculated by simply knowing the salinity.
See also