Heavy metals in buildings: more than just lead
When "heavy metals in old buildings" is discussed, most people think first of lead in water pipes. That's legitimate, but it falls short. In Austrian buildings, depending on construction year and use, at least seven heavy metals can come into play, all of which can be determined side-by-side in a single sample using the same method (ICP-MS).
The spectrum:
- Lead (Pb): water pipes (before 1945, partly to 1960s), white lead and red lead in paints (windows, doors, radiators, railings), solder joints at copper pipes, lead flashings, window putty, ceramic glazes.
- Cadmium (Cd): red, yellow, orange lacquers and pigments (cadmium sulphide, 1950s to 1980s), galvanised metalware of older types, PVC stabiliser in old floor coverings.
- Chromium (Cr, incl. Cr-VI): CCA wood preservatives (chromium-copper-arsenic, impregnation until the 1990s), chromate-containing corrosion-protection paints on steel parts, cement components in old buildings (Cr-VI as trace substance).
- Arsenic (As): CCA wood preservatives (see above), old wallpapers (Schweinfurt green, copper acetoarsenite, pre-1930), pesticide residues in stables and storage rooms of old farm buildings.
- Nickel (Ni): galvanised surfaces, stainless steel components (more allergy than toxicity).
- Copper (Cu): copper pipes (largely unproblematic, but relevant in water analysis to evaluate solder joints), Bordeaux mixture and copper-containing wood/plant preservatives.
- Zinc (Zn): galvanised steel, old gutters, pigments. More a marker for other metals than critical itself.
Mercury (Hg): on request. Topics: old thermometer/apparatus glass breakage sites, mirror coatings (pre-1900), amalgam residues in former dental practices, industrial legacy sites.
Where we analyse: typical sample types
Drinking water and water pipes
The most common enquiry. A water sample (stagnation sample per ÖNORM or flushed sample) shows what actually comes out of the pipe. A targeted Pb test is enough when the suspicion is clear. Water samples cost from €22.50 per element; you choose the elements, and the price follows from their number. The Austrian drinking-water limit for lead is 10 µg/l (drinking-water regulation); for cadmium 5 µg/l; for arsenic 10 µg/l.
Paints, lacquers and coatings
Before 1980 very often lead (white lead, red lead), in red/yellow/orange lacquers also cadmium. A material sample is all it takes (from €52.80 for the first element, further elements in bands): we analyse the paint sample or paint chips. Important before any renovation involving sanding or hot-air removal.
Wood preservatives (CCA and copper-based agents)
CCA-impregnated structural timber is often recognisable by its greenish-grey colour. Where suspected (fence posts, carports, old playground equipment, roof-truss structural members), a small material sample is enough, analysed by ICP-MS. Cr and As are the critical elements.
Corrosion protection on metal
Red lead (Pb₃O₄) and zinc chromate primers on steel parts were standard until the 1980s in structural steelwork. When historic industrial objects or older bridges and railings are restored, we sample the old coatings.
Others (pigments, wallpapers, glazes)
Old wallpapers with green pigments ("Schweinfurt green") can contain arsenic, today mostly relevant in heritage conservation consultancy. Ceramic glazes in old-building tiles can be lead-bearing.
Health risk: the key points
- Lead is a neurotoxin and particularly dangerous for children (neurological development, learning difficulties, kidneys, blood formation). There is no safe threshold for small children.
- Cadmium accumulates in kidneys and bones; nephrotoxic; classified by IARC as human carcinogen Group 1 (lung on inhalation).
- Hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) is carcinogenic (lung on inhalation, IARC Group 1), Cr-III by contrast is relatively harmless; we therefore distinguish via speciation where suspected.
- Arsenic is a human carcinogen (skin, lung, bladder, IARC Group 1) and neurotoxic; accumulates in hair and nails.
- Mercury is neurotoxic and damages kidneys, even very low concentrations can become relevant in closed rooms when the source continuously off-gases.
How we analyse
Method
ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), one of the most sensitive methods for trace metals in water and material. One sample, many elements, detection limits in the ppb range. The analysis is carried out at a partner laboratory accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 (DAkkS, internationally recognised under the ILAC-MRA).
When useful, additionally:
- Chromium speciation (Cr-III vs. Cr-VI) for accurate risk assessment in wood preservatives
- Arsenic speciation (inorganic vs. organic) when evaluating food or soil samples
Workflow
- Free initial consultation, we clarify which sample type and which elements actually make sense for your case. Often 2 to 4 targeted elements are sufficient, not the whole panel.
- Sampling, by us on site (site inspection €290), or by you following instructions (water samples only; material samples with fibre/dust risk we take on site).
- Laboratory analysis, ICP-MS at an accredited partner lab.
- Result discussion, clear context, comparison with limits, concrete recommendations; written protocol on request (€90).
Costs
What does it roughly cost? The price calculator lets you combine inspection, samples and travel and see the estimate immediately.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Water / liquid sample, per element | from €22.50 |
| Material / solid sample, 1 element | from €52.80 |
| Material / solid sample, each further element on the same sample | in bands |
| On-site visit (up to 150 m², incl. sampling and 45-min result discussion) | €290 |
| Virtual inspection (by video: preliminary clarification and assessment; sampling by you following instructions, water samples only; material samples we take on site; written protocol optional €90) | €190 |
| Video initial consultation | free |
For material samples, further elements on the same sample are banded and cheaper than individually; the exact figure is stated in the quote.
Social rate: For low-income households we offer a social rate. Just mention it in the initial consultation, no proof required.
Examples:
- Lead-pipe check (Pb only in water): from €22.50
- Water sample for several elements: from €22.50 per element
- Paint sample on lead only: from €52.80
- Paint sample on Pb + Cd + Cr or wood sample on CCA wood preservative (Cr + Cu + As), several elements on the same sample: banded (see above)
We discuss in the initial consultation which elements are actually relevant for your case.
Accreditation & legal note
Laboratory analyses are performed in partnership with ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories, currently via DAkkS (Germany's national accreditation body), internationally recognised under the ILAC-MRA and equivalently applicable in Austria.
Note: We are not court-appointed sworn experts. For legal proceedings requiring the highest evidentiary standard, we recommend additionally engaging a court-appointed expert.
Last updated: July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
By default lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr, optionally speciated to Cr-VI), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). Mercury (Hg) and rarer elements on request. The analysis is performed by ICP-MS, same workflow regardless of how many elements you have analysed.
Water samples cost from €22.50 per element; you choose the elements, and the price follows from their number. Material samples: from €52.80 for the first element, each further element in bands and cheaper than individually (exact figure in the quote). The site-inspection flat fee is €290 (up to 150 m²). In the free initial consultation we discuss which elements actually make sense for your case, usually 2 to 4 targeted elements are enough.
Lead pipes are grey, soft and can easily be scored with a knife. They are most common in buildings before 1945, partly into the 1960s. A water sample (from €22.50 for Pb) shows whether lead is actually reaching your drinking water; a solder-joint material sample (from €52.80) confirms the suspicion directly at the pipe.
Yes, particularly in red, orange and yellow lacquers and paints from the 1950s to 1980s (cadmium sulphide as a pigment). Also in old galvanised metalware and in PVC floor coverings of that era. Cadmium is nephrotoxic and carcinogenic.
CCA wood preservatives (chromium-copper-arsenic salts) were used in Austria until the 1990s for treated structural timber, fence posts and playground equipment. They contain potentially mobile Cr-VI and arsenic. Where suspected (greenish-grey wood coloration), this can be reliably identified in the laboratory.
Yes. The drinking-water limit for lead in Austria is 10 µg/l (drinking-water regulation); for cadmium 5 µg/l, for arsenic 10 µg/l. Heavy metals accumulate in the body. For young children and pregnant women there is no safe threshold for lead, values below the limit can still be neurologically problematic.
Yes, that's even the most common entry point. A targeted Pb check is sufficient when the suspicion is clearly lead pipes. Water samples cost from €22.50 per element; you choose the elements, and the price follows from their number. We discuss in the preparation call which elements actually make sense for your case.
Remediation: what does removal cost?
Typical remediation costs (indicative figures)
- Replace lead pipes (apartment)€1,000 to €4,000
- Replace lead pipes (house)€3,000 to €10,000
- Encapsulate / over-paint lead paintfrom €500
- Professionally remove lead paint€1,000 to €5,000
- Dismantle + dispose of CCA-treated woodsituational
A targeted test from €22.50 (water) or €52.80 (material) gives you clarity before you commission remediation without findings.
After remediation we offer a control measurement. To see which other pollutants are typical for your building's era: Pollutants by era →