admin

Notre-Dame Cathedral: When Will the Lead Issue End?

Notre-Dame Cathedral Fire 2019

Notre-Dame Cathedral is one of France’s most famous landmarks. Located on Île de la Cité island in Paris, its construction took nearly 200 years and was completed in the 14th century. On April 15th, 2019, a fire ravaged its roof and its spire, spreading around huge amounts of lead. French President Emmanuel Macron then pledged to rebuild the cathedral before the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Contamination During and After the Fire

Prior to the fire, the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, undergoing renovations at the time, held approximately 460 tons of lead. It is estimated that 150kg of lead was released into the smoke during the fire. Following the accident, surface soil samples were collected within a 1 km radius of the cathedral, and air quality measurements were conducted at a station located 50km from the cathedral. The results indicated elevated levels of lead.

In the aftermath of the fire, the AFVS (Association of Families Victims of Lead Poisoning) embarked on a campaign to warn the population about the risks of lead exposure. Mathé Toullier, president of the association, and Annie Thébaud-Mony, a health sociologist, explained that few precautions were taken during and after the fire: on-site firefighters and police did not wear appropriate protection, nor did the employees mobilized afterward to clear the debris. Lead concentrations during the cleanup sometimes reached levels 100 to 1000 times higher than those recommended by the Public Health Regulations. A specialized decontamination design office commissioned by the Ministry of Culture also recommended the cathedral’s lockdown and decontamination, a project finally buried to the detriment of public health.

In a research article published in GeoHealth, Alexander Van Geen, a professor at Columbia University, states:
“Our surface soil data collected 9–10 months after the fire show that the population residing within 1 km and downwind of the fire was probably considerably more exposed to Pb fallout, albeit for a brief period, than indicated by measurements and surveys conducted by local authorities weeks to months later.”

Protecting Children: What Measures?

After the fire, few measures were taken to protect children from the risks of lead exposure: no health instructions in nurseries and schools, and it took months for lead blood level tests to be conducted in children.

As reported by the Basta! newspaper, during the summer following the fire, samples were taken in several schools at the request of families and associations. In certain playgrounds, lead levels were found to be 5 to 18 times higher than the average in the streets of the capital. The affected schools were temporarily closed for cleaning of the premises.

In children, 50% of ingested lead is absorbed, compared to 5 to 10% in adults. Children are particularly vulnerable because they often put their hands to their mouths, and also because their nervous and skeletal systems are still developing. Lead exposure can create behavioral disorders, hearing and growth troubles, leading to abdominal pain, fatigue, memory loss, learning difficulties, anorexia, sleep disorders, and anxiety.

A Reconstruction that Raises Concerns

President Emmanuel Macron announced his intention to rebuild the cathedral before the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Donations poured in from all around the world to fund the monument’s reconstruction.

On April 15th, 2024, five years after the fire, members of the AFVS association along with other activists gathered in front of the cathedral to protest against the presence of lead in the monument’s reconstruction. Indeed, despite health risks, the government decided that the cathedral’s roof and spire should be rebuilt identically, using lead.

This decision appears perplexing on multiple fronts. Firstly, people are aware of the toxicity of lead. Secondly, less hazardous alternatives such as zinc could readily serve as substitutes. Thirdly, given the likely lead exposure and potential health impact caused by the Notre Dame Cathedral fire, this decision seems even more puzzling. Haven’t we learned anything from this? It’s ironic, especially because the French Social Security system recognizes lead poisoning as a work-related illness!

Sources: GeoHealth, Santé Publique France, ActuParis, Basta!
lead issue Notre-Dame Cathedral

admin

Soil Pollution in Wadis Investigated with New Method

Wadis-nieuw

Lead pollution is a major issue in climate adaptation in the Netherlands, where public spaces are being redesigned to better manage heavy rainfall. Wadis, or water drainage and infiltration zones, are replacing traditional infrastructure to store and infiltrate rainwater. However, the runoff infiltrated into these wadis contains heavy metals, including lead.

Climate adaptation is high on the agenda in the Netherlands and requires a different layout of the public space. Large rain showers do not fit in sewer pipes, so hardening is replaced by green areas. Green areas are given functions such as water storage and infiltrate rainwater into the soil, such as at wadis (water drainage and infiltration). The run-off rainwater that infiltrates contains impurities such as PAH and heavy metals. These are captured in the top layer of the wadi. However, the concentrations are so low that pollution can only be measured after years.

Because the oldest Dutch wadi in 2019 is 20 years old, researchers conducted an exploratory study into the soil quality of 30 wadis using a new research method. This study shows that the XRF (X-ray Fluoresence) is a cost-effective method of performing a soil quality scan in wadis. It also helps assess the environmental functioning of wadis. Charging of the soil with heavy metals has been observed at various locations, and measures are desirable in some cases. A workshop on these research results generated many reactions.

This article provides a brief overview of 20 years of Dutch literature on the quality and infiltration of run-off rainwater. It also gives the first results of exploratory research into the soil quality of wadis in the Netherlands with a new in situ sampling method.

Wadis

The first wadis were built twenty years ago to store, infiltrate and purify rainwater and to reduce negative effects such as sewer overflows. In 2019, the open source platform climatescan.nl mapped more than 250 residential areas with wadis across the Netherlands (Boogerd et al. 2017).

However, that data is not complete. There are probably more than 500 residential areas where rainwater is visibly drained to wadis. A single municipality even has more than 200 wadi compartments. Researchers have conducted much research over the years into the hydraulic functioning of wadis. Municipalities and water boards judge the hydraulic functioning of most overgrown wadis to be good. The rainwater almost always infiltrates within 24 hours, even in places in the low Netherlands with high groundwater levels and poor permeable soil (Boogaard et al. 2000 and 2018).

Environmental quality of wadis

Experts know less about the long-term environmental functioning of the Dutch wadis. The rainwater database (STOWA, Boogaard and others 2007) shows that run-off rainwater contains impurities such as PAH and heavy metals. In 2019, more than 6000 measurements of the heavy metal copper, lead and zinc are known. The average concentrations in the run-off rainwater from residential areas (roof and road) are 5, 28 and 47 micrograms per liter, respectively.

The top layer of wadis records these metals (Boogaard et al. 2004). That is why 20 years ago (water board dependent) guidelines were published that indicate, among other things, which paved surfaces you could connect to infiltration facilities (Boogaard et al. 2003). They also specify which soil mixture and which filter layer thickness this top layer should have (RIONED 2006). In addition, these guidelines contain practical recommendations for nature-friendly vegetation of wadis (STOWA 2003, 2007).

The degree and speed of pollution of the top layer of wadis depends on many factors (design, construction, use and management of wadi and surroundings) and is location specific. These factors make the environmental behavior of wadis difficult to predict. For this reason, guidelines for infiltration facilities recommend examining the soil quality of the top layer of wadis every 5 years. However, this is hardly ever done in practice, partly because of the costs and unfamiliarity with the purifying effect of the wadi system.

[…]

Results

At approximately 1 in 5 locations, measurements exceeded the intervention values for soil remediation for copper, lead or zinc (in particular zinc). High concentrations in the bottom of wadis are generally found in rainwater intakes. In these spots, a lot of sediment with associated contaminants accumulates and most water infiltrates. In most cases, the heavy metals come from a clear source or application.

In almost all cases charging takes place. Higher concentrations have been found in the mudflats than in the bottom just above the gullet or just next to the wadi (reference soil quality). The reference soil quality is a place in or near the wadi where no run-off rainwater infiltrates, but where the soil is exposed to the same atmospheric deposition and other conditions.

Researchers will conduct additional investigations into the origin and depth of contamination at locations where intervention values have been exceeded. Preferably not only heavy metals and PAH will be included, but also other substances.

Read the article on H2O.
soil pollution in wadis

admin

A New Way To Help Protect Pregnant Women and Children From Lead Poisoning

By Renée Cho & Alexander van Geen

May 28, 2024
While people have known for millennia that lead is a toxic substance, it wasn’t until the mid-1970s that scientists recognized exactly how dangerous it can be, even at low levels of exposure. Yet even now, a third of the world’s children—up to 800 million globally—are affected by lead poisoning.

Read the full article on Columbia Climate School.
protect pregnant women from lead poisoning

admin

Per toeval ontdekte deze scheikundige een spray waarmee je lood kunt vinden: ‘Toen ik met een uv-lamp scheen, zag ik de dakgoot felgroen oplichten’

Scheikundige Wim Noorduin ging thuis op zoek naar – gevaarlijk – lood met een chemisch goedje uit eigen lab en stond perplex van het resultaat. ‘Als ik met de hond ga lopen neem ik de spray mee.

Een spray die piepkleine looddeeltjes felgroen laat oplichten. Wim Noorduin, groepsleider bij het Amsterdamse onderzoeksinstituut Amolf en hoogleraar aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam, kwam op het idee voor de looddetectiespray toen hij las over loodproblemen in waterleidingen in Amsterdam-Noord.

Want: het inademen of inslikken van looddeeltjes is bij de kleinste hoeveelheden al schadelijk. Bij jonge kinderen leidt loodvergiftiging tot permanente hersenschade en op latere leeftijd draagt het bij aan hart- en vaatziekten. Maar voor je lood uit een omgeving kunt verwijderen, moet je het wel kunnen vinden. En dat is niet altijd een eenvoudige klus.

Toen Noorduin begreep welke impact zijn looddetectiespray kon hebben, richtte hij samen met collega’s de start-up Lumetallix op. Dat bedrijf verkoopt de spray waarmee de aanwezigheid van lood kan worden bewezen inmiddels over de hele wereld.

In dit artikel lees je hoe deze spray om lood op te sporen is ontdekt en waarom dat zo belangrijk is voor onze gezondheid.

Dinosaurusbotten en de ontdekking van de spray om lood te vinden

De spray kwam er niet zomaar. Het idee ervoor was nooit ontstaan zonder Noorduins fascinatie voor het proces dat ervoor zorgt dat de beenderen van bijvoorbeeld dinosaurussen tot fossielen worden omgezet. Noorduin legt uit: “Bij sommige fossilisatieprocessen behouden botten hun vorm, terwijl het materiaal waaruit ze bestaan verandert. Tijdens de vorming van een fossiel nemen bijvoorbeeld ijzerverbindingen de plaats in van calciumfosfaten. Wij wilden dit proces in het lab nabootsen, waarbij het ene materiaal in een object door een ander materiaal wordt vervangen, terwijl de vorm van het object behouden blijft.”

Noorduin richtte zijn pijlen op het omzetten van biomineralen zoals schelpen in kristallen met de structuur van perovskiet. Perovskiet is een mineraal dat veel wordt gebruikt in zonnecellen. Lukas Helmbrecht, een promovendus uit Noorduins onderzoeksgroep, kreeg de taak te zoeken naar de juiste omzettingsreacties.

Eerst wisselden de onderzoekers het calcium in de schelpen om voor lood. Vervolgens ontdekte Helmbrecht na een hoop gesleutel een goedje, bestaande uit alcohol en methylammoniumbromide, dat reageerde met de loodatomen in de schelpen. Na blootstelling aan het mengsel losten deze atomen op, ondergingen diverse reacties en kristalliseerden vervolgens uit in nanokristallen met de structuur van perovskiet. Kortom, de schelp behield haar vorm, maar veranderde van samenstelling.

Dat was dat. Tot Noorduin las over loodproblemen in waterleidingen in Amsterdam-Noord. “Ik was er verbaasd over dat dat nog steeds een probleem was,” zegt hij. “Het bracht me op een idee: onze perovskietkristallen lichtten groen op onder ultraviolet licht. Wat als we onze ontwikkelde omzettingsreacties zouden kunnen gebruiken om lood in de omgeving te detecteren door het in een perovskiet te veranderen?’

[…]

Detectieset

Op zoek naar concrete toepassingen voor de spray viel Noorduins oog op een rapport van Unicef uit 2020. Daarin werd gemeld dat een op de drie kinderen wereldwijd aan loodvergiftiging leidt. Om dit tegen te gaan waren dringend nieuwe looddetectietests nodig die op grote schaal kunnen worden ingezet. Noorduin: “Ik realiseerde me dat onze spray misschien wel de manier was om daar wat aan te doen.”

Samen met Helmbrecht en enkele collega’s richtte Noorduin in 2021 de start-up Lumetallix op. Het bedrijf verscheept de spray inmiddels als onderdeel van een testkit naar landen waar die het meest nodig is. Zo hield Lumetallix tests in India op plekken waar illegale batterijrecycling voor loodhoudend fijnstof zorgt. Haast iedereen in de omgeving heeft daardoor loodvergiftiging. Lumetallix spoot de spray op speelplaatsen en ontdekte dat die bezaaid waren met loodstof.

Lees het artikel op Het Parool.
spray om lood te vinden

admin
,

Perovskite Test | A lead test based on solarcell technology

Lead testing in the field-nieuw

Perovskite Test Based on Solarcell Technology Offers Breakthrough

AMOLF researchers have used the special properties of perovskite semiconductors to develop a simple perovskite test that detects the presence of lead. Perovskite is a material suitable for use in LEDs and solarcells, for example.

Revolutionary Lead Detection with Perovskite Semiconductors

A lead-containing surface shines bright green when sprayed with the test. This test is 1000 times more sensitive than existing tests and the researchers found no false positive or false negative results. This study was published on November 27th in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology.

“It is a really cool project and it is quite rare for fundamental research to literally impact the entire world with an application.”

“We have hijacked the technology of perovskite semiconductors and used it in a widely deployable lead test. Nobody in this discipline had ever thought of that.” Says Lukas Helmbrecht, researcher at the group Self-Organizing Matter led by Wim Noorduin at AMOLF. “We are very pleased with these results,” says Noorduin.

Only lead lights up

Helmbrecht took on the challenge and discovered that a methyl ammonium bromide solution works best. As soon as this solution comes into contact with a lead compound, it immediately forms a lead perovskite, which lights up bright green under UV light. Helmbrecht tried a range of surfaces, from lead pipes and paint to lead salts, glass, plastics and electrical wire. They all lit up bright green as proof of the presence of lead.

In addition, Helmbrecht tested more than fifty materials that did not contain lead but did contain similar elements, such as tin, aluminum, and copper. None of these lit up. This indicates that the test is highly chemoselective. The test reveals lead concentrations of one nanogram per mm2, whereas most current tests have an accuracy of no more than a few micrograms per mm2. The new test is therefore 1000 times more sensitive.

Read the full article on amolf.nl

The reagent reacts with lead, forming a perovskite that fluoresces green under UV light

Lead detection spray tested in India

admin
,

Spray Makes Lead Glow Green in the Environment

The reagent reacts with lead, forming a perovskite that fluoresces green under UV light

The lead exposure threat is especially serious for children. Lead is pervasive in materials such as water pipes, paints, glass, electronic components, and ammunition.

Due to activities like mining, coal power plants, or recycling, this heavy metal ends up directly in the environment. It poses a particular threat to small children and can cause lifelong consequences, including neurological disorders, learning difficulties and severe physical illnesses. Fortunately, people can remove this toxin from the environment relatively easily once they know it is present. The challenge lies in detecting its presence, because the process typically requires complex laboratory techniques to separate and enrich the element from samples.

Understanding the Lead Exposure Threat

Detecting dangerous levels of lead in the environment may become significantly easier in the future. A research group led by Willem L. Noorduin has developed a method in which a sample is sprayed with a chemical and then examined with a UV lamp. Using this lamp, researchers can immediately determine if lead is present. As reported in the journal “Environmental Science & Technology,” the method correctly identified the presence of lead in experiments with over 50 samples. It also worked at very low concentrations and with all types of lead compounds. The spray contains methylammonium bromide, a substance that forms a semiconducting mineral with lead. This mineral emits a green glow under UV light.

The discovery revolves around perovskites, a class of materials with versatile properties that many groups and companies are currently studying intensively. Solar cells based on lead-containing semiconducting perovskites achieve over 25 percent efficiency. Noorduin and his team originally developed methylammonium bromide for perovskite production, and the ability to detect lead in the environment emerged as a fortunate discovery for the research group. The chemical reaction that forms the perovskite when the spray contacts lead, even in the presence of water or acid that would typically break down perovskites, remains somewhat mysterious.
Lead exposure threat visualized with green fluorescent perovskite under UV light

admin
, ,

Direct Environmental Lead Detection

Paint - Lead-nieuw

Although the global ban on leaded gasoline has markedly reduced lead poisoning, many other environmental sources of lead exposure, such as paint, pipes, mines, and recycling sites remain.

Existing methods to identify these sources are either costly or unreliable. We report here a new, sensitive, and inexpensive lead detection method that relies on the formation of a perovskite semiconductor. The method only requires spraying the material of interest with methylammonium bromide and observing whether photoluminesence occurs under UV light to indicate the presence of lead. The method detects as little as 1.0 ng/mm2 of lead by the naked eye and 50 pg/mm2 using a digital photo camera. We exposed more than 50 different materials to our reagent and found no false negatives or false positives. The method readily detects lead in soil, paint, glazing, cables, glass, plastics, and dust and could be widely used for testing the environment and preventing lead poisoning.

Read the full article on pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
environmental lead detection

admin

Researchers hijack solar cell technology to develop a simple spray test for Lead

LX-Plate2-nieuw

AMOLF researchers have used the special properties of perovskite semiconductors to develop a simple spray test to demonstrate the presence of Lead.

Perovskite is a material suitable for use in LEDs and solar cells, for example. A Lead-containing surface shines bright green when it is sprayed with the test. This test is 1,000 times more sensitive than existing tests and the researchers found no false positive or false negative results. The study was published on November 27 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

We have hijacked the technology of perovskite semiconductors

Innovative Application of Perovskite Semiconductor Technology

“We have hijacked the technology of perovskite semiconductors and used it in a widely deployable Lead test. Nobody in this discipline had ever thought of that,” says Lukas Helmbrecht, researcher at the group Self-Organizing Matter led by Wim Noorduin at AMOLF. “We are very pleased with these results,” says Noorduin. “It is a really cool project and it is quite rare for fundamental research to literally impact the entire world with an application.”

Read the full article on todayheadline.co
perovskite lead detection

admin

Titaan: A hub for Impact Businesses to improve the world

Krantenartikel

<​p class='intro-text'>Titaan, a former storage facility in the old Caballero factory located in Binckhaven, The Hague, has been transformed into a sustainable business hub for impact companies. The building boasts 13,000 square meters of space that can accommodate businesses ranging from 8 to 150 employees.<​/p>

The facility is already 50% occupied, and on the ground floor, a communal space has been created where innovative entrepreneurs can meet, network and collaborate. Titaan is built using sustainable materials, with a glass roof that allows natural light to flood in, creating a pleasant working environment for its occupants. The building also retains many of its original features and provides various workspace options that cater to the needs of different kinds of businesses.

Impact Businesses

Titaan aims to support impact businesses, which are companies that aim to make the world a better place by providing solutions to everyday problems. LumetalliX is a company that aligns with this vision.

Lead Poisoning: A Severe Threat

Lead is toxic, and even short exposure to small concentrations of Lead can cause severe and permanent damage, especially in small children. LumetalliX has developed a Lead detection solution that can detect Lead in various materials. LumetalliX’s Lead detection solution is straightforward to use. It involves spraying or dripping the reagent onto the material suspected of containing Lead.

If Lead is present, it will light up, making it easy to detect.

The company’s solution is highly sensitive, even to 200ppm of solid Lead, which is detectable with the naked eye. The sensitivity can also be tuned to suit specific applications.

Promoting Environmental and Public Health

LumetalliX’s Lead detection solution is instrumental in promoting environmental and public health. By making it easier to detect Lead in various materials, the company can prevent Lead poisoning and create a safer world for everyone. LumetalliX’s Lead detection solution is ideal for various industries, including manufacturing, construction, and environmental testing.

Conclusion

Titaan is a hub that aims to provide a conducive working environment for impact businesses. LumetalliX is one of the many businesses that contribute to making the world a better place by providing innovative solutions to everyday problems. By detecting Lead in various materials, LumetalliX is helping to promote environmental and public health, and their solution is an ideal choice for many different industries.

 

lead poisoning health risks

admin
,

Researchers studied lead detection technologies to recommend affordable methods for under-resourced communities in India and beyond

Consortium-nieuw

New York, NY, July 11, 2024

TAUW, Pure Earth, and Lumetallix evaluated over a dozen methods to detect lead in soil to identify low-cost tools to scale up efforts to prevent lead exposure and poisoning. Current detection methods, such as handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers, though effective, are very expensive and require specialized training. This limits their accessibility.

“If we can provide a set of tools for residents and local governments to identify a source of lead pollution in a quick and affordable manner, the exposure risk becomes tangible,” says Ilona van der Kroef with TAUW, “and risk mitigation steps can be taken sooner.”

The best available data from Indian institutions and others suggest that half of all children in the country have harmful levels of lead in their blood. Lead exposure results in decreased IQ, behavioral problems, cardiovascular damage, stunted growth, and even premature death. The consequences to public health and economic development are staggering.

Low-cost lead detection methods

The project report, The Assessment Of Lead Detection Methods In Tamil Nadu India And Beyond, details the investigation. It begins with an evaluation of 13 potential low-cost lead detection methods. The team selected four for further testing: ferric ferrocyanide (Prussian Blue), sodium rhodizonate, RGB Image Recognition, and Lumetallix. Following laboratory and field tests, two methods, sodium rhodizonate and Lumetallix, showed promise and were subjected to comprehensive field trials in Tamil Nadu.

After extensive testing, the research team concluded that when developing lead poisoning prevention programs with community involvement, a combination of the three techniques—sodium rhodizonate, Lumetallix, and handheld XRF analyzer or conventional laboratory analyses—should be viewed as complementary.

Both sodium rhodizonate and Lumetallix could be utilized by communities to pre-screen an area. The Lumetallix test kit offers a practical, affordable and fast solution for large-scale screening. This makes it a valuable tool for initial mapping and identification of lead pollution hotspots. The sodium rhodizonate test, although more time consuming, provides fewer tests, but with a more definitive indication of soil lead levels above a threshold of concern.

Lukas Helmbrecht, Co-Founder and CEO at Lumetallix explains: “We are working to enhance reactivity for more consistent results at low concentrations and to benchmark sensitivity on various soil samples.”

“Further research is needed to validate these methods across different soil types and contamination sources,” says Emily Nash, Consulting Researcher for Pure Earth. “Collaboration with local communities and authorities will be crucial in deploying these technologies effectively.”

To learn more, watch the research team as they trial the range of methods on-site in Vellore, Tamil Nadu.

About the Consortium

TAUW: TAUW is a European consultancy firm with a strong position in environmental advice and making sustainability feasible. With almost 1,400 dedicated professionals, TAUW shapes a vital living environment by offering impactful solutions and combining strong expertise with valuable partnerships. This has been in our DNA ever since the foundation of TAUW in October 1928 in the Netherlands. TAUW has over 40 years of experience as an advisor in the field of sustainable soil and land management. As a cutting-edge consultant with extensive expertise in soil and subsurface issues, more than 350 consultants and engineers work fulltime on addressing societal challenges related to soil pollution. It’s not just a daily job, it’s… a living ambition.

Pure Earth: Established in 1999, Pure Earth is a pioneer in developing evidence-based solutions to mercury and lead pollution and poisoning. Guided by our commitment to transparency, collaboration, impact measurement and technical excellence, Pure Earth works with partners around the world to sustainably address the root causes of pollution. We partner with governments, civil society, communities and industry to identify and implement solutions that stop toxic exposures, protect health, and restore environments. Learn more at www.pureearth.org

Lumetallix: Lumetallix is a company dedicated to developing innovative and accessible rapid testing solutions for environmental concerns. The company’s flagship product, Lumetallix Instant Lead Test Kit, empowers individuals and communities to quickly and accurately detect lead contamination in their homes and environments. Learn more at www.lumetallix.com

Contacts for media inquiries:

Pure Earth: Angela Bernhardt, angela@pureearth.org
Lumetallix: Xander Terpstra CCO & Partner, xander@lumetallix.com
TAUW: Ilona van der Kroef MSc., Consultant Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Sites, ilona.vanderkroef@tauw.com

Find the press release on pureearth.org and businesswire.com