Ortosilikaatti

Ortosilikaatti is the common name for silicic acid with the chemical formula H4SiO4. It is the simplest and most stable form of silicic acid. In aqueous solutions, orthosilicic acid exists in equilibrium with dissolved silicon dioxide, also known as silica. The concentration of orthosilicic acid in water is generally low, but it plays a significant role in various geological and biological processes.

In nature, orthosilicic acid is abundant in groundwater and surface water. It is formed from the weathering of silicate minerals, which are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. These minerals, such as feldspar and quartz, slowly break down in the presence of water and carbon dioxide, releasing silicic acids.

Orthosilicic acid is also essential for many living organisms. Plants, for example, absorb orthosilicic acid from the soil and use it to build structural components, such as cell walls and silica phytoliths. These silica structures provide rigidity and defense against herbivores and pathogens. In marine environments, diatoms, a type of phytoplankton, utilize orthosilicic acid to construct their intricate silica shells, called frustules.

While orthosilicic acid itself is not considered toxic, high concentrations of dissolved silica can lead to scaling in industrial water systems and pipelines, causing operational issues. The study of orthosilicic acid is important for understanding silica chemistry, geochemistry, and the biogeochemical cycles of silicon.