Spectroscopic Investigation of the Interaction of Silicate Ions with Lead Carbonates Under Drinking Water Conditions

The presence of lead has been identified as a critical health risk in drinking water systems serviced by Pb-bearing plumbing. Among several corrosion control strategies, the use of sodium silicates has attracted interest due to the advantages it offers compared to other approaches, such as phosphate dosage. However, the interaction of silicate ions with lead corrosion scales and other ubiquitous dissolved species such as Al ions in drinking water is not well understood. In this work, surface and bulk spectroscopic analysis of the solid scale is combined with quantitative analysis of the aqueous phase. A detailed spectroscopic probing of the transformations taking place on the solid phase enables us to develop a mechanistic framework for reports published in the last four years in the open literature, suggesting that silicates may not be an adequate corrosion control option in drinking water systems rich in solid lead carbonates. The spectroscopic data obtained demonstrate that in the presence of chlorine residual, silicates inhibit Pb(II) carbonates from oxidizing into less soluble Pb(IV) oxides thus, negatively impacting water quality. Furthermore, aluminum ions interact with silicates resulting in the formation of solid allophane phase over the lead scale surface, extending into the bulk. However, the formation of this new solid allophane phase does not protect against lead dissolution.