The Isotopic Signature of Lead Emanations during the Fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France

Philippe Glorennec, Aurélia Azema, Séverine Durand, Sophie Ayrault and Barbara Le Bot
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Philippe Glorennec: Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail)—UMR_S 1085, Inserm, École des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique (EHESP), University of Rennes, F-35000 Rennes, France
Aurélia Azema: Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques, UMR 3224, F-77420 Champs-sur-Marne, France
Séverine Durand: Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail)—UMR_S 1085, Inserm, École des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique (EHESP), University of Rennes, F-35000 Rennes, France
Sophie Ayrault: Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, UMR 8212, Université Paris Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Barbara Le Bot: Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail)—UMR_S 1085, Inserm, École des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique (EHESP), University of Rennes, F-35000 Rennes, France

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-9

Abstract: When Notre Dame de Paris cathedral caught fire on 15 April 2019, lead particles were deposited in its surroundings. Our objective was to determine whether the lead plume had a homogeneous isotopic signature (i.e., a set of homogenous isotopic ratios), and whether, if so, this was different from common sources. In January 2020, dust samples were collected from six areas inside the cathedral, downwind of the fire, as well as from eight roof debris fragments. These samples were mineralized and analyzed using ICP-MS. Their isotopic ratios (207Pb/206Pb and 206Pb/204Pb) were determined and then compared both to each other and to previous published ratios measured in home dusts and blood samples collected in France. The isotopic ratios of dust samples collected inside the cathedral were compatible with each other and with the roof fragments. These isotopic ratios are common and differ neither from those of many other dusts collected in France during the period 2008–2009, nor from those of blood samples collected from children in France during the same period. Moreover, the fire’s isotopic signature is close to the overall signature for Paris. Indeed, it would be difficult to attribute the fire at the cathedral to either lead poisoning or environmental contamination.

Keywords: isotope; fingerprint; lead poisoning; environmental health; pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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