The total boron (B) is the sum of boron species in a solution. In the environment these species usually include boric acid and borate, for example:
:B = [] + []
where
*B is the total boron concentration
*[] is the dihydrogen borate concentration
*[] is the boric acid concentration
Total boron is an important quantity when determining alkalinity due to borates contribution to a solutions acid neutraling capacity. Total boron is a conservative element in seawater, and can thus be calculated by simply knowing the salinity.