Helsemessige og bruksmessige virkninger av utlekkingsprodukter fra PEX-rør brukt i innendørs drikkevannsinstallasjoner

Previous investigations have demonstrated that PEX pipes, which in the last years is commonly installed as indoor drinking water pipes in replacement for copper, leaks organic matter which can support biofilm formation and give rise to taste and odour pro blems in drinking water. These investigations showed that significant quantities of organic matter leaks out from PEX pipes under stagnant conditions. Only a minor part of the constituents of the leakage products are identified. Preliminary international studies predict that organic components from PEX pipes are carcinogenic and that opportunistic human bacterial pathogens, such as Legionella and Aeromonas are able to grow in biofilms in PEX pipes. Therefore it is essential to do a study of migration of o rganic constituents from PEX pipes and their potential effect on growth of opportunistic human pathogensand possible toxic effects related to consumption of drinking waterfrom PEX pipes. The project is divided in two sub-projects. Part 1 will invetsigate differences quality and quantity of migration products among PEX pipes produced bydifferent industrial processes. Based on these results representative PEX pipes will be chosen for part 2, as well as pipes made of copper, stainless steel and glass (as a r eference material) for long-timetesting under stagnant and flow-through conditions with realistic operation routines for the water use. Migration models will be established on the basis of chemical and microbial data colleceted.