Articles | Volume 12, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-67-2015
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-67-2015
Technical note
 | 
06 Jan 2015
Technical note |  | 06 Jan 2015

Technical Note: Large overestimation of pCO2 calculated from pH and alkalinity in acidic, organic-rich freshwaters

G. Abril, S. Bouillon, F. Darchambeau, C. R. Teodoru, T. R. Marwick, F. Tamooh, F. Ochieng Omengo, N. Geeraert, L. Deirmendjian, P. Polsenaere, and A. V. Borges

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Cited articles

Åberg, J. and Wallin M. B.: Evaluating a fast headspace method for measuring DIC and subsequent calculation of pCO2 in freshwater systems, Inland Wat., 4, 157–166, 2014.
Abril, G., Guérin, F., Richard, S., Delmas, R., Galy-Lacaux, C., Gosse, P., Tremblay, A., Varfalvy, L., Dos Santos, M. A., and Matvienko, B.: Carbon dioxide and methane emissions and the carbon budget of a 10-year old tropical reservoir (Petit-Saut. French Guiana), Global Biogeochem. Cy., 19, GB4007, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GB002457, 2005.
Abril, G., Richard, S., and Guérin, F.: In-Situ measurements of dissolved gases (CO2 and CH4) in a wide range of concentrations in a tropical reservoir using an equilibrator, Sc. Total Envir., 354, 246–251, 2006.
Barros, N., Cole, J. J., Tranvik L. J., Prairie Y. T., Bastviken D., Huszar V. L. M., del Giorgio P., and Roland F.: Carbon emission from hydroelectric reservoirs linked to reservoir age and latitude, Nat. Geosci.,4, 593–596, https://doi.org/10.1038/NGEO1211, 2011.
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Short summary
We compared pCO2 data calculated from pH and alkalinity from those measured directly in a large array of temperate and tropical freshwaters. This revealed a large overestimation (up to 300%) of calculated pCO2 in the case of acidic and organic-rich waters, due to a contribution of organic acids anions to alkalinity and a lower buffering capacity of the carbonate system at acidic pH. Given the widespread distribution of acidic freshwaters, direct measurements of water pCO2 are encouraged.
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