Experiments suggest that dissolved organic ligands may primarily modify mineral dissolution rates by three mechanisms: (1) metal-ligand (M-L) complex formation in solution, which increases the degree of undersaturation, (2) formation of surface M-L complexes that attack the surface, and (3) formation of surface complexes which passivate or “protect” the surface. Mechanisms (1) and (2) increase the dissolution rate and the third decreases it compared with organic-free solutions. The types and importance of these mechanisms may be assessed from plots of dissolution rate versus degree of undersaturation.

To illustrate this technique, calcite, a common repository cementing and vein-filling mineral, was dissolved at pH 7.8 and 22°C in Na-Ca-HCO3-Cl solutions with low concentrations of three organic ligands. Low citrate concentrations (50 μm) increased the dissolution rate consistent with mechanism (1). Oxalate decreased the rate, consistent with mechanism (3). Low phthalate concentration (< 50 μM) decreased calcite dissolution rates; however, higher concentrations increased the dissolution rates, which became faster than in inorganic solutions. Thus, phthalate exhibits both mechanisms (2) and (3) at different concentrations. In such cases linear extrapolations of dissolution rates from high organic ligand concentrations may not be valid.