Abstract
Trace metals dissolved in ground and surface waters in general do not occur as metal ions but as metal-ligand complexes. The complexing ligands can be inorganic anions like hydroxide, chloride or carbonate. However, depending on the situation, the speciation of trace metals can be totally dominated by organic complexes. Geochemical models ignoring these organic ligands may produce grossly erroneous results concerning trace metal speciation in ground and surface waters. As the aqueous speciation of metal ions is directly related to solubility and sorption of trace metals, in consequence these phenomena may also be misjudged by orders of magnitude. Hence, any assessment of the behaviour of contaminant trace metals, e.g. escaping from an underground repository, critically depends on a sound treatment of the influence of organic ligands on trace metal speciation.
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