Method of reducing elution of lead in lead-containing copper alloy, and drinking water service fittings made of lead-containing copper alloy

摘要

It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing method for preventing elution of lead in a lead-containing copper alloy to prevent lead from eluting from a faucet metal, etc. made of a lead-containing copper alloy, and a drinking water service fitting made of a lead-containing copper alloy in which elution of lead has been prevented. By forming a chromate film on the surface of a lead-containing copper alloy material, it is possible to reduce elution of the lead left in a limited amount on the surface. A drinking water service fitting made of a lead-containing copper alloy is immersed in an alkaline etching solution in a pre-processing step for a nickel chromium plating step to selectively remove lead on the surface of the lead-containing copper alloy material and is then activated in a solution such as sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid. Nickel plating is subsequently effected, and then chromium plating is effected in a sargent chromium or chromium fluoride bath, and a chromate film may be formed by immersing the drinking water service fitting in a chromate solution.