The release of lead from the reduction of lead oxide (PbO2) by natural organic matter.

PbO2 has been identified as an important scale in some distribution systems that historically use lead service lines and free chlorine for maintaining a disinfectant residual. The stability of this highly insoluble scale with respect to its reductive dissolution may play an important role in lead release into drinking water. In this study, we investigated the release of lead from a commercially available PbO2 in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) using a hydrophobic acid extracted from the Iowa River. Experiments were conducted using synthetic solutions with different NOM concentrations, solution pH, and NOM samples with different levels of prechlorination. It was found that release of lead from PbO2 occurred both in solutions with and without NOM, and the extent of lead release increased with increasing NOM concentration and decreasing pH value. Furthermore, the released lead was Pb(II) and not particulate PbO2 conclusively showing that reductive dissolution occurred. Prechlorination of NOM reduced the rate of lead release. Our results indicate that PbO2 can be reduced both by water and NOM. Characterization of final solid phases by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are also presented.