What ammonia species (ammonium ion or ammonia molecule) is more toxic toaquatic organisms? At what pH of water (low or high) will the toxicity of ammonia will behigher?
Question
What ammonia species (ammonium ion or ammonia molecule) is more toxic toaquatic organisms? At what pH of water (low or high) will the toxicity of ammonia will behigher?
Solution
The ammonia molecule (NH3) is more toxic to aquatic organisms than the ammonium ion (NH4+). This is because the ammonia molecule is a gas and can easily penetrate the gills of fish and other aquatic organisms, disrupting their normal physiological processes.
The toxicity of ammonia in water is higher at high pH levels. This is because the equilibrium between ammonia (NH3) and ammonium ion (NH4+) shifts towards the formation of more ammonia molecules as the pH increases. At lower pH levels, most of the ammonia is present as ammonium ions, which are less toxic. Therefore, the toxicity of ammonia to aquatic organisms increases as the pH of the water increases.
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