Corrosion by copper pipes has long been considered
the main source of copper in samples collected under
the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). Furthermore, regulatory
agencies generally have assumed that the primary
source of lead is lead solder or pipes. Recent research,
however, has suggested that brass corrosion may play a
larger part in contributing to lead and copper at the
customer's tap than initially supposed.
One obstacle to accurately identifying sources of lead
and copper in LCR samples is the possibility of several
sources for both elements. This study focused on two
populations, houses with traditional plumbing and
houses with all-plastic plumbing, a factor that effectively
eliminated all but one source. Analysis of first-draw samples
collected from houses with all-plastic plumbing
showed concentrations of lead and copper comparable to
those found in traditionally plumbed houses, indicating
that the lead and copper found in the plastic system
resulted from brass corrosion. Given that the LCR has a
limited focus on brass, these results call into question the
efficacy of the LCR in reducing consumer exposure to lead
and copper. Includes 12 references, tables, figure.
| Edition : | Vol. 99 - No. 8 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 160 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 7 |
| Published : | 08/01/2007 |
