A microcomputer program to evaluate the saturation of complex solutions with respect to biominerals

Abstract

The program described is written in BASIC and enables calculation of ionic activity products and degrees of saturation for solutions with respect to minerals of biological interest. The program takes into account ion-pair formation by association of anions and cations. The number of constituent species, whether or not involved in mineral formation or in ion-pair formation, appears to be unlimited. The computation fulfils the conditions of conservation of matter and electrical neutrality. Successful computation is achieved even for systems with highly unfavourable ratios between cations and anions with high affinities. The program is easily re-orientated towards any mineral/solution system.