Isotope tracers to investigate reactive zones in stones from built cultural heritage

Abstract : This work aims at identifying the reactive zones inside limestone used in monuments exposed to fog. The location of these zones and the depth of the water penetration front is of primary relevance to evaluate the transport of aggressive species and the influence of environmental conditions on alteration mechanisms and kinetics of limestone exposed to the atmosphere. We report here the results of weathering experiments conducted in a deuterium-enriched environment and the characterization of reactive zones analyzed by NanoSIMS. It was determined that water penetrated several hundred micrometers inside the limestone and that only the first micrometers were significantly altered.