EQUILIBRIUM SOLUBILITIES OF METHANE, CARBON-MONOXIDE, AND HYDROGEN IN WATER AND SEA-WATER

Measured Bunsen solubility coefficients reported In the literature are used to derive functions that permit accurate calculation of the concentration of methane, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen in water and sea water at equilibrium with the normal atmosphere. Bunsen coefficients are fitted to equations established by Weiss which give Bunsen coefficients as functions of temperature and salinity. Tables of Bunsen coefficients covering the temperature range -2 to +30 °C and the salinity range 0-40 parts per thousand are calculated for each gas from the fitted equations. The data are also fitted to an atmospheric equilibrium solubility function, which has a form similar to the Bunsen coefficient equation, but which includes the atmospheric gas concentration as a variable. Coefficients for this equation are given to allow calculation of the concentration of dissolved methane, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen in equilibrium with moist air at 1 atm total pressure In units of nL/L, nmol/L, nL/kg, and nmol/kg sea water. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.