Plastic drinking water pipes exposed to high heat can leak hazardous chemicals

 In August 2020, a wildfire went through the San Lorenzo Valley, California.  Lab tests before the fires were completely extinguished showed benzene levels as high as 9.1 parts per billion in the residents’ water. This is nine times higher than the states’ maximum safety level. California water managers found unsafe levels of VOCs in Santa Rosa after the Tubbs fire in 2017 and Paradise after the Camp Fire in 2018. Scientists suspected the plastic water pipes exposed to extreme heat released the chemicals. Researchers tested their theories by taking the plastic pipes and heating them from 200-400 degrees celsius, then submerged the pipe in water. Varying amounts of benzene and VOCs and more than 100 other chemicals leached from 10 of the 11 pipes in the water. Benzene is a serious cause of health problems, from skin irritation to long-term effects like leukemia.

Sever, M. (2020, December 24). Plastic drinking water pipes exposed to high heat can leak hazardous chemicals. Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/plastic-drinking-water-pipes-high-heat-wildfire-hazardous-chemicals