Did the 2019 notre-dame cathedral fire impact the lead contamination of sediment in the Seine River in Paris, France?

A study analyzing sediment from the Seine River in Paris found that while lead (Pb) contamination spiked in 2020, the Notre-Dame Cathedral fire was not a significant contributor. The research compared sediment samples collected during floods in 2016, 2020, and 2021, revealing that 2020's deposits—likely older subsurface material—showed higher contamination levels, particularly near Notre-Dame. Some samples matched isotopic signatures of the fire's dust, but overall, urban sources dominated Pb pollution. The findings suggest the fire had a negligible impact on river sediment contamination, emphasizing the need for continued monitoring to address public concerns.

Evrard, O., Bizeul, R., Xu-Yang, Y., Huon, S., Callonnec, L. L., Foucher, A., & Ayrault, S. (2026). Did the 2019 notre-dame cathedral fire impact the lead contamination of sediment in the Seine River in Paris, France? Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 21, 101072. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2026.101072