ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE APPLICATION OF PLUMBING BRASS ALLOYS

In majority the alloys assigned for production of fittings belong to t he group of CuZnPb or CuZnPbAl alloys containing 1-3% Pb. Lead is intr oduced to plumbing alloys to improve their technological properties, m achinability in particular. Yet, the presence of lead is the cause of various ecological problems during the production and later performanc e of the fittings. The threat of contamination with lead occurs during : melting, overheating and casting of plumbing brasses due to the emis sion of lead vapours, casting of fittings, due to the transfer of lead from metal to core sands and the successive elution of lead from the dumped waste sand to underground water, use of household fittings, due to washing out by water stream of lead particles from the internal su rfaces of fittings. An analysis of the chemical composition of plumbin g brass alloys was made in the aspect of an evaluation of their utilis ation and ecological characteristics. The harmful effect of some alloy ing elements contained in brasses was estimated and the possibility of replacing them with other elements was examined.