Biocompatibility of materials and constructive systems in the housebuilding between XIX and XX centuries

Abstract

Biocompatibility of materials and constructive systems in the housebuilding between XIX and XX century Giovanni Fatta and Calogero Vinci Dipartimento di Progetto e Costruzione Edilizia (DPCE) University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy e-mail: fatta@dpce.ing.unipa.it; vinci@dpce.ing.unipa.it Key words: biocompatibility, sustainability, hygiene, public health, historical architecture Abstract The new trends of building industry are a recent conquest that, in relationship to sustainability, confirm among the primary objectives to pursue requisites of materials salubriousness, hygiene and ecology. Also in normative sphere, we recently are spectator of a innovation in materials idea: in many norms the importance attributed to aspects related to ecocompatibility and biocompatibility, like the emission of particles, gas and harmful substances, of radiations results evident, and also the possibility that materials can contribute to micro organisms development. But before this revolution for many years, in some cases already beginning from the half of XIX century, were used materials potentially dangerous for human health. Basing on actual knowledge, it results essential a profound study not only of materials and actual technological solutions, but also of techniques and traditional materials, for estimate the possible dangers during the building construction and fruition, maintenance or demolition. The asbestos, for example, was used already in the XIX century as aggregate in interior plasters, in concrete tiles, as component of linoleum, in panels, in cardboards, in fabrics, "to make a mass" in paints, all these particularly insidious cases, in that fibers could easily be detached from support because of aging. Also the lead poisoning caused by white-lead paintings use in historical buildings became in some Countries a problem of public health. Another problem that doesn't concern only the contemporary housebuilding is that concerning the biocides: between the XIX and XX century were used substances based on creosote or arsenic, and with these substances wooden parts of buildings and masonries were impregnated. It results therefore necessary to probe the "application history" of some materials, also in the historical architecture. Some of these substances were paradoxically appreciated for their hygienic and even therapeutics characters, therefore very diffused in hygienic-healthy typologies realized between the XIX and XX century, buildings that still constitute a not negligible part of our building patrimony.