Electrochemical deposition of amorphous aluminum oxides on lead pipes to prevent lead leaching into the drinking water

Lobo, G. P.; Kalyan, B.; Gadgil, A. J.

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127195

Electrochemical deposition of amorphous aluminum oxides on lead pipes to prevent lead leaching into the drinking water

Journal Article · Fri Sep 10 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Journal of Hazardous Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127195· OSTI ID:1826346

Lobo, G. P. ^[1]; Kalyan, B. ^[1]; Gadgil, A. J. ^[1]

Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

Over 5000 public drinking water systems in the US are out of compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule. Lead leaching from lead pipes is limited by the solubility of a naturally occurring scale. Changes in water quality may cause this scale to become more soluble, releasing lead into the drinking water. We propose a novel electrochemical method to prevent lead leaching from lead pipes. In this method, an aluminum wire and an alkaline phosphate electrolyte are inserted into the pipes. The pipes are then anodized for 2 h by using an external power supply, resulting in the electrodeposition of an insoluble aluminum oxide layer on top of the preexisting scale. This technology was tested on lead pipes from the EBMUD water distribution systems located in Berkeley, CA, using recirculating synthetic and actual tap water for 120 days. The untreated pipes leached an average of 23 ppb and 38 ppb of lead respectively, when using free chlorine and monochloramine as disinfection residuals. In contrast, the treated pipes leached 3 ppb and 5 ppb respectively. These results suggest that the proposed treatment has the potential to prevent lead leaching regardless of the disinfection residual and thus should be further explored in a field trial.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1826346

Journal Information:: Journal of Hazardous Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Hazardous Materials Journal Issue: Part B Vol. 423; ISSN 0304-3894

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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