ISSeP’s expertise in materials characterization is put to good use in assessing the evolving condition of structures in our built heritage. Listed monuments, heritage buildings and restored structures, like all environmental matrices, are subject to the effects of pollution, the ravages of time and, more generally, the consequences of human activity. Poorly maintained and unrestored, certain structures can pose a risk to people. What’s more, maintenance work can involve the risk of exposure to harmful substances. Proper identification of materials and their properties helps to prevent such damage and reduce the associated risks.
In 2021, some twenty appraisals were carried out for both the public (SPW-AWaP) and private sectors. These included the analysis of materials of various origins: graffiti samples, concrete, mortar, joint sand, façade plaster, dummy floor elements, fragments of sculpture, rock or stone materials, paint samples, surface treatments and miscellaneous samples. The analysis techniques employed include stratigraphic, petrographic and thermo-hygrometric techniques.
In the case of paints, for example on metal or woodwork, the use of lead-based paints and/or other toxic metallic elements always requires checking before any work is carried out. The ISSeP asbestos laboratory has developed a protocol for detecting metals deemed toxic (on powder or flakes) and, if present, performing the qualitative determinations (acid-soluble lead or other toxic metal) required for risk assessment for workers carrying out the work, and for waste management (determination of leachable lead for disposal).
Under a 3-year in-house agreement with AWAP, the laboratory is studying lead emissions in runoff water from lead sheet test beds (4 x 1m2 models of roofs). The aim of this project is to quantify the lead (soluble and particulate) emitted in run-off water from rainfall, and to study the possibility and necessity of capturing this lead before it reaches the sewage system.
Contact: Dominique Bossiroy – 04 229 83 21