1.2. DIC content:
DIC is the sum of all carbonate containing species. It is represented
by CT,CO3 as shown in 
9. If the concentrations of complexes are assumed to be negligibly
small, the DIC concentration is the sum of H2CO3*,
HCO3- and
CO32-
concentrations. DIC content governs the equilibrium of the carbonate
system and the level of CaCO3 saturation.
It affects the dissolution rate because it affects the extent
of CaCO3 undersaturation.
1.3. Temperature:
Limestone dissolution rate increases as
the temperature of water increases (Cox, 1930; Letterman, 1995;
Spencer, 2000). Rickard and Sjoberg (1983) also found that the
overall dissolution rate constant is a complex function of temperature.
1.4. Ionic strength:
Rickard and Sjoberg (1983) demonstrated an ionic strength dependence
of calcite dissolution rates in their study. In general, solubility
of salts increases with increasing ionic strength (Snoeyink
and Jenkins, 1980). Since ionic strength is used to calculate
the activity coefficients of each carbonate species in water,
it also affects the activities of species in equilibrium and
dissolution kinetic equations.
