Effect of environment on dicyanoaurate ions-crystalline, frozen solution and carbon-adsorbed species

197Au Moessbauer spectra of crystalline samples of the dicyanoaurates of Na+, K+, Ca2+/Na+ and Gd3+ show that the spectral parameters for the first three are all similar to each other and to a sample of frozen aqueous solution of KAu(CN)2. Spectra of activated carbon samples treated with NaAu(CN)2 or KAu(CN)2 solution increased in both isomer shift and quadrupole splitting accompanied by a removal of Gol'danskij-Karyagin effect asymmetry. Drying the samples produced a small reduction in the isomer shift and quadrupole splitting. The results show that the gold atoms are not closely associated with either the cations or with water molecules in the samples. Interpretations are given in terms of the bonding of the Au ion to the substrate. (orig.)