铅和铜规则规定，硅酸盐处理、磷酸盐处理、pH值和碱度调整是控制饮用水中铅和铜的最佳可用方法。然而，关于使用硅酸盐控制铅和铜的详细现场和实验数据很少，硅酸盐的作用机制仍不清楚。需要回答的最重要的问题是，硅酸盐是否被纳入铜和铅表面的保护膜中。在这项研究中，x射线光电子能谱（XPS）用于检测和表征配水管内部的薄膜。XPS还用于量化薄膜的元素组成，以补充更传统表征方法的数据。

The Lead and Copper Rule states that silicate treatment, phosphate treatment, and pH and alkalinity adjustment are the best available methods for controlling lead and copper in drinking water. However, detailed field and experimental data on the use of silicates for lead and copper control are scarce and the mechanism by which silicates work is still unclear. The most significant question that needs to be answered is whether silicate is incorporated into protective films on copper and lead surfaces. In this study, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to detect and characterize films on the interior of distribution pipes. XPS was also used to quantify the elemental compositions of the films in order to supplement the data from more conventional characterization methods.