Laboratory analysis of paint, dust wipes, soil and water that shows whether lead is present in a property, how much there is and whether renovation or clean-up has left a home safe for children.
Lead analysis measures the amount of lead in paint, household dust, soil or water. Paint chips and soil are analysed as bulk samples, dust is collected with wipes from a measured area, and water is collected in sample bottles. Results show whether a property contains lead paint or lead contaminated dust and soil, and whether renovation or clean-up has reduced exposure.
Lead is a soft, dense, grey metal that was used for centuries because it is easy to work and resists corrosion. In Australian homes it was added to paint for colour, durability and faster drying, and it was used in petrol, plumbing, roofing and many other products. Those uses have been phased out, but the lead they left behind is still in many buildings and gardens.
The main source of lead in Australian homes is old paint. Houses built before 1970 are the most likely to contain lead paint, although paint with significant lead content was available after that date. Today the permitted level of lead in domestic paint is very low, but layers of older paint often remain beneath newer coats on walls, windows, doors, skirting boards and exterior weatherboards.
Lead paint that is intact and in good condition poses little immediate risk. The danger comes when it deteriorates, flakes, chalks or is disturbed by sanding, scraping, heat stripping or demolition, which creates fine lead dust that settles on floors, windowsills and soil.
Other sources include soil near busy roads and older houses, ceiling dust built up over decades, some older plumbing fittings, certain imported products and hobbies such as making fishing sinkers or leadlight work.
Lead, chemical symbol Pb, has atomic number 82 and an atomic mass of 207.2. It is a heavy metal with no known safe role in the human body. Once absorbed it is distributed to the blood, soft tissues and bones, where it can be stored for years and released again later.
The most important route of exposure in homes is lead dust. Particles from deteriorating or disturbed paint are fine enough to cling to hands, toys and food. Young children, who crawl on floors and put their hands and objects in their mouths, can swallow significant amounts without anyone noticing. Children also absorb a higher proportion of the lead they swallow than adults do.
Different samples answer different questions. Paint chip samples show whether a painted surface contains lead and how much, reported as a percentage by weight. Dust wipes from a measured area show how much lead has settled on floors and windowsills, which is the best indicator of what occupants are exposed to. Soil samples show contamination in gardens and play areas, and water samples check for lead from older plumbing.
In the laboratory, samples are digested to release the lead and measured instrumentally, with quality control samples run alongside client samples so each result can be relied upon.
Australia's renovation culture puts many families in direct contact with old lead paint. Sanding back a weatherboard house, stripping window frames or renovating an old kitchen can release large quantities of lead dust in a single weekend, often while children are living in the home.
AS 4361.2, the Australian Standard guide to lead paint management in residential and commercial buildings, sets out how lead paint should be identified and managed. Health authorities advise analysing paint before any work that will disturb it on older homes, and keeping children and pregnant women away from the work area.
The National Health and Medical Research Council advises that blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per decilitre should be investigated to find and reduce the source of exposure. In many of those investigations the source turns out to be lead dust or soil in or around the home.
Lead harms people slowly and quietly. There are often no obvious symptoms until levels are already high.
Lead exposure in young children is associated with effects on learning, behaviour, attention and development. Children under five are the most vulnerable.
Lead crosses the placenta, and lead stored in a mother's bones can be released during pregnancy, exposing the unborn child.
In adults, lead exposure is associated with raised blood pressure, kidney effects, fatigue and effects on fertility.
Disturbing lead paint without analysis can contaminate a whole house and garden, leading to expensive clean-up and liability for trades and owners.
Because lead dust is invisible and the effects are gradual, the only way to know whether a home is safe is to analyse the paint before work starts and the dust and soil when work is finished.
We analyse paint, dust, soil and water samples for lead and report results digitally, giving owners, renovators, assessors and remediators the numbers they need.
We help decide which surfaces, rooms and outdoor areas to sample, and which sample types answer your question.
Paint chips, dust wipes from measured areas, soil and water are collected by trained assessors to the relevant method.
Every sample is registered in our Digital Chain of Custody from collection through to reporting.
Lead results are reported for each sample in the units that suit the sample type, with the reporting limit shown.
Paint results show whether a coating should be treated as lead paint. Dust and soil results show current exposure and whether clean-up has worked.
Lead results let remediation contractors and painters choose the right approach and prove the home is safe when they finish.
| Location | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Front door frame (paint) | 2.8% w/w | Removed |
| Window sill, bedroom (dust) | Elevated | Low |
| Hallway floor (dust) | Elevated | Low |
| Garden bed (soil) | Elevated | Covered |
| Kitchen tap (water) | Low | Low |
Illustrative results only. ND means not detected at the laboratory reporting limit.
Post-remediation results give owners a documented record that lead hazards were identified, managed and cleared.
Good results start with good sampling. We recommend that lead sampling is carried out by a NATA accredited company, because paint, dust, soil and water each need a different collection method to give meaningful results.
We recommend lead sampling is carried out by a NATA accredited company, so sample types and methods match the question.
Paint chips from each surface to be disturbed show whether lead paint is present.
Floors and windowsills are the key locations for assessing exposure.
Garden beds, play areas and drip lines around older houses.
Follow the collection instructions for first draw or flushed samples.
Record every sample in the Digital Chain of Custody and send it to the laboratory.
Straight answers to the questions we are asked most about lead analysis and identification. Can't find yours? Call the laboratory on 1300 522 115.
Houses built before 1970 are the most likely to contain lead paint, but it can be present in later homes. The only way to know is to analyse paint samples from the surfaces you plan to disturb.
Intact lead paint in good condition poses little immediate risk. The risk comes when it deteriorates or is disturbed by sanding, scraping, heat or demolition.
Home kits can give an indication, but they do not measure how much lead is present and can miss lead in lower paint layers. We recommend a NATA accredited company for sampling when results will guide renovation or clean-up.
Paint analysis shows where lead is. Dust analysis shows what people, especially children, are actually exposed to, and they are the best way to confirm clean-up has worked.
Talk to your doctor, who can arrange a blood lead test, and have the home assessed to find and remove the source.
Yes. Soil around older houses and near busy roads can contain lead from paint and historical leaded petrol. Garden beds and play areas are common sampling locations.
Laboratory identification of asbestos in building materials, soil and dust, and airborne fibre monitoring, so owners, builders and removalists know.
Laboratory analysis of air sampling cassettes, tape lifts, swabs and bulk materials that shows which moulds are present, how heavily a building is.
Laboratory quantification of methamphetamine residue on household and commercial surfaces, reported in µg/100 cm² against the 0.5 µg Australian.