本项目的目的是研究老化钢铁配水系统管道中矿物结垢的元素组成。管道样本取自中西部的一个小镇，该小镇取代了整个供水系统。老年人制度建于1935年，自那时起一直持续服务。与配水系统管道接触的水是未经处理的地下水。选择这个系统进行研究有几个原因:整个系统可以追溯到一个时期，主要由一种材料组成，而大城市的大多数系统都是经过多年建设的；该镇使用了未经处理的水源，其中含有一些已知会导致结垢的高浓度元素；此外，由于年久失修，城镇供水系统维护不善，预计将受到严重腐蚀。 管道样本是在管道从地面移除并干燥后获得的。使用以下方法对管道进行分析:光学显微镜测量水垢厚度，目视确定水垢的完整性，以及通过颜色和形状目视识别矿物；x射线衍射，用于识别管道上矿物鳞片中发现的结晶化合物；扫描电子显微镜用于拍摄高倍照片和元素扫描。

The objective of this project was to study the elemental composition of mineral scale in aged iron and steel water distribution system pipes. Pipe samples were obtained from a small Midwestern town which replaced the entire water distribution system. The aged system was constructed in 1935, and had been in continuous service since that time. The water in contact with the distribution system pipes was an untreated groundwater. This system was chosen for study for several reasons: the entire system dated from one period of time and was composed mainly of one material, as opposed to most systems in large cities which have been constructed over a many year period; the town used an untreated water supply with high concentrations of some elements known to cause scaling; and, the town water system had been poorly maintained and was expected to be very corroded, due to age and lack of care. Pipe samples were obtained after the pipes had been removed from the ground and allowed to dry. Pipes were analyzed using: optical microscopy for measuring scale thickness, for visually determining the integrity of the scale, and for visually identifying minerals by color and form; x-ray diffraction for identifying crystalline compounds found in mineral scales on the pipes; and, scanning electron microscopy for taking high magnification photographs and also for elemental scans.