I’m wondering if ABS pipes will leach chemicals into water or soil if they are in contact with them for awhile (i.e a month) and if these chemicals will react with nitrate, ammonia and/or phosphate (or nitrogen and phosphorus in general). The pipe and soil will be kept at room temperature or colder and distilled water will be used, although the water will pick up other compounds as it passes through the soil. This is for a master’s project studying leaching of fertilizer through soil samples taken with sections of ABS pipe.

–Miranda

Miranda, There is a possibility of leaching small amounts of styrene monomer from ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) when in contact with water for a long time, but I would expect it to be at very low levels, so unlikely to interfere with the fertilizers. To get the the least amount of leaching try to get ABS pipe that meets ANSI/NSF Standard 61.

-Dr. Dave