Oxygen Oxidation of Ferrous Ions Induced by Chelation

The oxidation of ferrous ions by dissolved oxygen in aqueous solutions in the presence of such chelating agents as EDTA, DTPA, EDTAOH, EDTP, CyDTA and NTA was studied spectrophotometrically. The rate equation for the oxidation reaction is: d[Fe^III]/dt=4k_p[Fe^IIHZ][O_2]+4k_n[Fe^IIZ][O_2] where kp is the rate constant for the (1) reaction; kn, the rate constant for the (2) reaction; FeIIHZ, protonated chelate, and FeIIZ, the normal chelate. &Fe^IIHZ+O_2_pFe^IIIZ+HO_2 1 &Fe^IIZ+O_2_nFe^IIIZ+O_2^-2 The linear relationship between log k and log Rf shown by Eq. (3), was obtained from all the experimental results except for those on the EDTPA and CyDTA systems: logk=0.92+0.13logR_f3 In Eq. (3), k is 4kp and Rf is KFeIIIL⁄KFeIIHL, for the protonated chelate, while k is 4kn and Rf is KFeIIIL⁄KFeIIL for the normal chelate. In the cases of the DTPA and CyDTA systems, a deviation from the straight line was observed. This can be explained by steric hindrance of the oxygen attack by these chelates.