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Lead Particles Size Fractionation and Identification in Newark, New Jersey's Drinking Water
Citation:
Lytle, D., M. Schock, C. Formal, C. Bennett-Stamper, S. Harmon, M. Nadagouda, D. Williams, Mike DeSantis, J. Tully, AND M. Pham. Lead Particles Size Fractionation and Identification in Newark, New Jersey's Drinking Water. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 54(21):13672-13679, (2020). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c03797
Impact/Purpose:
Following substantial pH reduction in their drinking water over a span of more than 20 years, the city of Newark, New Jersey has struggled with elevated lead (Pb) release from Pb service lines and domestic plumbing in the zone fed by the Pequonnock water treatment plant. In response, Newark initiated orthophosphate addition and provided faucet-mounted point-of-use (POU) filter and pitcher filters certified for Pb and particulate reduction under NSF/ANSI Standards 53 and 42 to residential homes in that zone. Water chemistry analysis and size fractionation sampling was performed at four of these houses. Analysis of the particulate material retained by the filters revealed that Pb was dominantly present in the water as fine Pb(II) orthophosphate particles. A considerable amount of the particulates occurred as a nano-scale fraction that sometimes passed through the POU or pitcher filtration units. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses showed that the nanoparticles (<100 nm) and their aggregates were composed of Pb, phosphorus, and chlorine, which is consistent with pyromorphite, Pb5(PO4)3Cl. Electron diffraction and X-ray analyses supported the presence of hydroxypyromorphite and chloropyromorphite nanoparticles and the size range estimates from the imaging. This research confirmed that nonadherent Pb(II)-orthophosphate nanoparticles play an important role in the Pb contamination of drinking water in the Pequonnock water quality zone of Newark.
Description:
Following substantial pH reduction in their drinking water over a span of more than 20 years, the city of Newark, New Jersey has struggled with elevated lead (Pb) release from Pb service lines and domestic plumbing in the zone fed by the Pequonnock water treatment plant. In response, Newark initiated orthophosphate addition and provided faucet-mounted point-of-use (POU) filter and pitcher filters certified for Pb and particulate reduction under NSF/ANSI Standards 53 and 42 to residential homes in that zone. Water chemistry analysis and size fractionation sampling was performed at four of these houses. Analysis of the particulate material retained by the filters revealed that Pb was dominantly present in the water as fine Pb(II) orthophosphate particles. A considerable amount of the particulates occurred as a nano-scale fraction that sometimes passed through the POU or pitcher filtration units. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses showed that the nanoparticles (<100 nm) and their aggregates were composed of Pb, phosphorus, and chlorine, which is consistent with pyromorphite, Pb5(PO4)3Cl. Electron diffraction and X-ray analyses supported the presence of hydroxypyromorphite and chloropyromorphite nanoparticles and the size range estimates from the imaging. This research confirmed that nonadherent Pb(II)-orthophosphate nanoparticles play an important role in the Pb contamination of drinking water in the Pequonnock water quality zone of Newark.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Lead Particles Size Fractionation and Identification in Newark, New Jersey's Drinking Water
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