Table of ContentsIntroductionPrevious and Current ResearchImpact of the TopicAdditional ResearchConclusionIntroductionThe element copper is a necessity for humans, people should have a small amount of copper in their diet. “On average, most people eat and drink about 1,000 micrograms (μg) of copper per day” (Winter M. 2009). Copper is essential for a human being to stay healthy, although too much copper can be harmful. Most people get a majority of copper in the water they drink. Copper appears in water because water is corrosive and when there are pipes that carry high flows of water, the pipes corrode. When water has a low pH, it also tends to corrode pipes. Due to the acidity of the water, copper pipes corrode, resulting in a large amount of copper in the drinking water. Common identifiers of copper in water include blue tints in the water, metallic tastes, or a distinctive odor. When copper and acids react, the copper turns green. This happens because when copper reacts to different elements it creates a chemical reaction, the copper turns green. The Statue of Liberty has turned green over time due to acid rain. Acid rain is caused by pollution of water systems by humans. Acid rain, in contact with copper, transforms the original color of the copper into a dull green color. Copper corrosion is greatly affected by the pH of a solution. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayPrevious and current researchCopper tends to be more corrosive when liquids have a lower pH; higher acidity. Research has been done that when water is more acidic, it tends to corrode pipes. Citizens of Cleveland have noticed that their Lake Erie water supply is showing discoloration. People have noticed that their water is slightly brownish/yellowish. “The pH of the raw water, a measure of acidity or lack thereof, had fallen, approaching a level at which it would be acidic.” (Tony Briscoe. 2019). Scientists in the area notice that the pH of the water has dropped due to this new discovery. Scientists conclude that the water turns brown because it corrodes the metal pipes that carry water to the house. “If the pH deteriorates for too long, the protective coating can start to break down and you can start to get lead in your drinking water.” (Margevicius. 2019). Another scientist says that if the pH deteriorates, it can lead to the destruction of the copper pipe coating. This protective coating helps copper pipes not corrode as quickly as they might if there was no coating. Another reason to apply a protective coating to copper pipes is to reduce lead poisoning. Lead poisoning can occur because the protective coating on the pipes over which water is supplied begins to dissolve due to the acidity of the water. Water is too corrosive for the protective pipe coating to have any benefit in protecting the pipes. “Many communities across the country use zinc orthophosphate.” (Water Research Foundation. 2016). Another thing that people have started using to remove copper corrosion is the use of zinc orthophosphate. Many copper pipes contain zinc orthophosphate because it is used to reduce the degree of corrosion in copper pipes, but zinc orthophosphate.