Lead-Free EnviroBrass - An Environmentally Friendly Ecomaterial

摘要

Lead is considered to be one of the metals affecting human health from prolonged exposure, particularly mental development in children. The human body absorbs lead by inhalation of dust particulates and ingestion of contaminated water and food. Plumbing components were traditionally made from copper alloys containing 4 -9% lead. Lead improves pressure tightness and machinability of these alloys making thm economically viable. However recent regulations, imposed by Canadian and American environmental agencies, restricted the maximum allowable lead content in drinking water made leaded copper alloys unsuitable for such applications. Research conducted at MTL developed three copper alloys containing bismuth and selenium as altematives for leaded alloys. This paper discusses the development of the new alloys and their impact on the foundry industry, recycling and public health.