Abstract
Elemental lead is a known toxic metal that can pose threats to human health and can be found in a variety of sources including drinking water at very low level concentrations (i.e. μg/L range). Destabilization of the corrosion scale at the inner layer of pipeline is the major source of lead in drinking water. Chemical properties of the water passing through the distribution system such as pH, alkalinity, chlorine content, oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and natural organic matters will affect the formation and/or destabilization of the corrosion scale. This research examines the impact of pH values (7.0 - 9.5), temperatures (5°C vs 20°C) and alkalinity levels (moderate vs low), in the presence of chlorine, on dissolution of hydrocerussite and cerussite in drinking water by various sets of batch dissolution experiments. The results showed dissolution of cerussite and hydrocerussite was not impacted significantly by pH ranging 7.0 - 9.5. In addition, and somewhat surprisingly, cold temperature (5°C) and moderate alkalinity showed a great influence on decreasing the solubility of lead species.
Highlights
Elemental lead is a known toxic metal that can pose threats to human health and can be found in a variety of sources including lead paints, dust, municipal waste incineration, mining activities, gasoline additives and drink-How to cite this paper: Mohammadzadeh, M., Basu, O.D. and Herrera, J.E. (2015) Impact of Water Chemistry on Lead Carbonate Dissolution in Drinking Water Distribution Systems
The impact of temperature and pH were studied on the dissolution of cerussite and hydrocerussite which were widely seen in corrosion scale
A large impact of pH has been observed on plattnerite (PbO2) solubility [24], this study found that for cerussite and hydrocerussite the dissolution trends were similar at all pH values studied, which is consistent with the results obtained for the dissolution rate of hydrocerussite by Noel et al [26]
Summary
Elemental lead is a known toxic metal that can pose threats to human health and can be found in a variety of sources including lead paints, dust, municipal waste incineration, mining activities, gasoline additives and drink-How to cite this paper: Mohammadzadeh, M., Basu, O.D. and Herrera, J.E. (2015) Impact of Water Chemistry on Lead Carbonate Dissolution in Drinking Water Distribution Systems. According to the drinking water quality guideline published by the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommended provisional limit of lead in drinking water is 10 μg/L (ppb) This limit is adopted as the drinking water standard in many countries including Canada, Australia, China and European Union, while in United States the guideline value is 15 μg/L [17]-[21]. Existing corrosion scales in lead pipes, solders, brass fittings and plumbing fixtures used in drinking water distribution systems are currently considered as a major problem for municipalities [9] [22] [23]. In few cases cerussite (PbCO3) was observed Lead oxides such as plattnerite (PbO2) and minium (Pb3O4) can be found in the inner layers of the corrosion scale. The corrosion scale can decrease the lead level in drinking water via a passivating layer, which can trap toxic elements and decrease their concentration in drinking water as well
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