Chemical characterization of blue stains in domestic fixtures in contact with drinking water

Letelier, MV; Lagos, GE; Reyes A.

Abstract

Bluish green staining in domestic fixtures was observed in three to 9-year-old houses in the city of Talca, located 256 km. south of Santiago, the capital of Chile. The houses contained copper pipes which were exposed to soft well water, with low pH and low buffer capacity. The aim of this paper is to establish the chemical composition of the stains and to determine the conditions by which they were formed. X-ray diffraction analysis of the stains revealed the presence of malachite, a copper compound that caused green coloring in kettles and water boilers. Dioptase, which is deep green in coloring, was identified in a bathtub tile. In one house, where blue stains were found in a toilet bowl, the presence of chrysocolla was suggested by means of X-ray fluorescence. In the field conditions studied it was concluded that the bluish green stains in bathroom home appliances were generated by the precipitation of copper compounds in places were leakages occur. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007.

Más información

Título según WOS: Chemical characterization of blue stains in domestic fixtures in contact with drinking water
Título según SCOPUS: Chemical characterization of blue stains in domestic fixtures in contact with drinking water
Título de la Revista: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
Volumen: 139
Número: 01-mar
Editorial: Springer
Fecha de publicación: 2008
Página de inicio: 307
Página final: 315
Idioma: English
URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10661-007-9836-6
DOI:

10.1007/s10661-007-9836-6

Notas: ISI, SCOPUS