Unit 5 – Case Study: The Lead Dilemma

Read the case study below (adapted from Nelson Chemistry 12 College Preparation
Workbook), then answer the questions that follow in full sentences.

Edge Meadow Secondary School was built in the 1960s. A major renovation of the school was
planned for the summer of 2019. This renovation included replacing all the plumbing in the
school. In late August 2019, however, a routine water quality inspection found unusually high
levels of lead ions in the drinking fountain water. Additional tests were done during the first
week of school. Table 1 shows a sample of the testing data for one drinking fountain.

Table 1 Lead Concentrations in Drinking Water

Lead Concentration (ug/L)*
Time
August 28, 2019 (vacation) September 3, 2019 (first term)
7:00 am 16 12
12:00 noon 12 8
3:00 pm 10 6
*ug = micrograms

Although the acceptable concentration of lead in water varies between jurisdictions, it is 10 ug/L
in many parts of Ontario.

The source of the lead contamination was identified as solder in the copper water pipes. Solder
is a soft metal that plumbers use to join lengths of copper pipe. At the time when Edge Meadow
Secondary School was built, all solder that was used in construction was a tin-lead alloy (a
combination of two or more metals). After 1988, lead-based solder was banned from new
construction. The problem with lead-based solder is that lead is a fairly reactive metal.
Hydrogen ions (H+(aq)) in water slowly oxidize lead (Pb(s)) out of the solder according to the
following chemical equation:

2 H+(aq) + Pb(s) → Pb2+(aq) + H2(g)

NOTE: On the left side of the reaction arrow are the REACTANTS, which turn into the
PRODUCTS on the right side.

The longer that water is allowed to sit in a pipe, the more lead ions (Pb2+(aq)) that are released
into it. This can have very serious impacts on those who are exposed to or drink the water.

Reasons for Concern

Prolonged exposure to lead can damage almost every organ in the body. Furthermore, lead is
not easily excreted from the body, so it tends to accumulate. Lead poisoning in children is
particularly serious because it slows the development of the brain and nervous system, leading
to learning difficulties and behavioural disorders. Exposure to lead is also a serious concern for
pregnant women. Lead can cross the placenta and harm the unborn child. Miscarriages and
stillbirths have been linked to lead exposure.
Possible Options
School officials were faced with a very difficult decision. Closing the school or starting the
renovations immediately were not viable options because there was no alternative building that
staff and students could use. Staff and students need safe drinking water, however. Here are
two of the options that school officials considered:
● Close all drinking fountains and provide bottled water for all staff and students for the
entire school year. This option guarantees the safety of the drinking water for staff and
students, but is very expensive.
● Instruct the school’s custodial staff to turn on all drinking fountains for at least 20 minutes
each morning before students arrive. Running the water would flush out any lead that
may have accumulated inside the pipes overnight. This option has minimal cost but its
success depends on the custodial staff being very diligent in flushing every water
fountain daily.

Questions
Examine the water testing data in Table 1.

1. Compare the overall lead concentration in the water samples taken at the end of the
summer (August 28, 2019) and the first day of school (September 3, 2019).

a. Which has a higher concentration? (1 mark) _August 28,2019__

b. Suggest an explanation for why this might occur. (2 marks)
NOTE: Only the custodial staff was in the school during most of the summer.

Since it was during the summer, the custodial staff had to turn the water
fountains on daily because there was no one there to use it and also to flush
out anything that might have been in the pipes.

2. During both testing days (August 28, 2019 and September 3, 2019), what do you notice
about the lead concentration in the water samples as the day goes on? (1 mark)

It indicates that the lead concentration decreased

a. Suggest an explanation for why this might occur. (1 mark)

I suspect that it was because the staff kept the fountains going over the
holiday and it washed out much of the lead. That had been a couple of days
since the first day of school, at that moment I'm sure the fountains weren't
running therefore some lead may have been caught in the pipes.

3. Further investigation showed that there was a significant drop in lead concentration in the
water during the first week of school. Suggest a reason for this drop. (1 mark)

I think it decreases because throughout the day the water fountain gets used and the
water gets to run.
4. What do you predict will happen to the lead concentration in the drinking water over the
Christmas holidays when staff and students are home? Why? (2 marks)

Contaminated water with lead due to water in pipelines and water fountains overnight,
over weekends, as well as over breaks can make much more lead to get into the
water.

5. If you were the principal, which of the two suggested options would you recommend to
keep your staff and students safe? Justify your choice. (2 marks)

If I were the principal, both ideas would definitely involve extra cash, however I would
suggest that I would have as many custodial workers to leave the fountains going and
make sure they set a timer for a certain time. And also for safety, I should walk around
the school and turn on the water fountains just in case. That way, I will save money
either to get a water bottles for the next school year or to replace the pipes.

6. What precautions should pregnant women in the school take? (1 mark)

She could perhaps run the water for 30 seconds before using it and/or buy a water
filter that says on the label that it eliminates the lead. She may also get her own bottle
of water.

7. Answer the following questions about lead (Pb) using the periodic table. (5 marks)

Atomic Number: _82_

Number of Electrons: _82_
Atomic Mass: _207.2_
Number of Neutrons: _125_
Number of Protons: _82_

8. What is the charge of the lead ion created when hydrogen ions in water oxidize
the solid lead out of the solder? (1 mark) 2+

a. What does this charge tell you about the lead ion? Meaning, how does
the lead ion differ from the lead atom? (1 mark)

The development of an atom is caused by the loss or gain of electrons. By

electron loss a positively charged ion can be formed , and by electron gain a
negatively charged ion can be formed.

The End
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