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A SOLIDS ANALYSIS APPROACH INCORPORATING ARGON-ION MILLING TO COPPER AND LEAD PIPE SCALE ANALYSIS
Citation:
White, C. AND D. A. Lytle. A SOLIDS ANALYSIS APPROACH INCORPORATING ARGON-ION MILLING TO COPPER AND LEAD PIPE SCALE ANALYSIS. Presented at Fifth Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop on Treatment and Distribution System Compliance Challenges, Cincinnati, OH, August 05 - 07, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
INFORMATION
Description:
Corrosion of copper and lead plumbing materials in water is complex and has been the topic of a number of studies on the topic (Lucey 1967; Edwards et al. 1994a; Edwards et al. 1994b; Duthil et al.1996; Harrison et al. 2004). Solids analysis is one of the most convenient and nformative methods to use for such analysis, it is becoming common practice. Though there is literature based on such methods, there is a significant lack of literature on sample preparation. Many labs are forced to modify old techniques to achieve samples that are solids analysis compatible. It was therefore, the objective of this work to investigate the orphological features and elemental composition of corrosion by-products and solids associated with already corroded copper pipes using an argon ion source to polish samples.As such, it was assumed that examining the interior surfaces of pipes by argon ion milling would reveal superior detail compared to traditional methods that nvolved sanding and polishing with silicone carbide abrasive. Coupled with systematic removal, examination, and comparison of the surface of pipe specimens, argon ion milling would prove to be an readily applied technique to ultimately aid researchers to help utilities diagnose and mitigate corrosion issues in their distribution systems.