Lead in Paint

Lead in Paint can have far reaching health and environmental implications. Using state-of-the-art X-ray Fluoresence, the Experimental Techniques Centre can determine if a particular paint sample contains lead above the recommended threshold levels.

Although no longer used in UK, lead was historically a key component in paint and older properties, providing colour, durability and moisture resistance. The main reason for its ban in the UK is due to lead's harmful property especially in young children.

The detection limits in our X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) instrument allows us to determine the lead content in paint samples down to the parts per million (ppm) levels.

Whilst the HSE Control of Lead at Work regulations, 2002, suggest a limit of less than 1% Pb, modern paints now have a threshold of 0.009% (90 ppm) to ensure exposure is minimised. 

XRF is a non-destructive analytical technique that determines composition by measuring the secondary X-rays emitted from an initial interaction between the sample and the X-ray source. Each element has a signature energy and intensity which the secondary emissions are matched against.

For more information or to discuss your testing requirement, please contact Dr Wayne Lam at wayne.lam@brunel.ac.uk

You can return to our main Commercial Services page to see what else we have that could support your requirements.