Aluminium fluoride complexation and its ecological importance in the aquatic environment ☆

A potentiometric investigation of the rate and mechanism of the reaction between aluminium (III) ions and fluoride ions in buffered aqueous solution (pH values 2 and 5) is described. Potential-time curves recorded during the reaction, using fluoride-ion selective electrode, constitute the primary data in this study. The rate of aluminium fluoride complexation is calculated under different experimental conditions. In the solutions where the analytical ratios between fluoride and aluminium are > 6, the calculated average number of fluoride ligands bound by aluminium are in the range 1.8–3.7.