Crystal growth and dissolution processes at the calcite-water interface in the presence of zinc ions

The interaction of dissolved zinc with calcite {10.4} Surfaces during growth and dissolution has been studied using in situ atomic force microscopy and batch sorption experiments. In situ observations show that the growth of calcite in the presence of zinc occurs by two-dimensional nucleation, the Growth rate decreasing with the development of each subsequent layer. During the dissolution of calcite in the presence of Zn, the pre-existing rhombic-shaped etch pits (formed in pure water) change their morphology to become approximately triangular. Batch-sorption experiments revealed that the dissolution of calcite is coupled with the heterogeneous nucleation of a zinc-bearing precipitate. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.