Premium
Zinc content in brass and its influence on lead leaching
Author(s) -
Zhang Yaofu,
Edwards Marc
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.2011.tb11496.x
Subject(s) - leaching (pedology) , brass , zinc , metallurgy , arsenic , corrosion , alloy , clearance , environmental science , materials science , copper , soil science , soil water , medicine , urology
It has been speculated that lead leaching is related to dezincification, which is characterized by the preferential leaching of zinc from the alloy, leaving behind a porous residue of copper and corrosion products. This increasingly porous layer allows lead to detach and diffuse more rapidly from the brass surface into solution. High‐zinc brasses are usually more susceptible to dezincification attack; therefore, the high‐zinc brasses might be expected to experience more severe lead leaching. This article found that using dezincification‐ reduction (DZR) brasses that minimize dezincification might create increased problems with lead leaching. Therefore, to limit lead leaching, it is important to limit the amount of lead in all brasses or limit the use of leaded brasses. Given recent concerns about failures from dezincification, a forthcoming requirement to mandate DZR brass in some potable water applications (i.e., lower zinc content or DZR resistance from arsenic or other substances) is on the horizon. From the perspectives of public health protection and regulatory compliance, it may be important to limit the lead content of brasses.