By Michele Scozzai

André Gide, French winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1947, declared that there are no problems "only solutions". That thought, or at least hope, must have passed through the mind of the young restorer from Trieste, who in the spirit of innovation knocked on AREA's door in 2007 to stubbornly challenge conventions. An expert in wood renovation- with passion, insight and flair - the craftsman presented AREA staff with the 'problem-no-problem' which haunted his days.

Restoration is an almost surgical profession, its practitioners turn back the clock on objects and works of art, modern day Dorian Grays of inanimate beauty but who, as the restorer recounted, have to work every day with solvents containing methylene chloride (or dicloromethane), commonly known as 'universal' paint-remover.

Dicloromethane is an effective solvent which is also widely used by the food industry for the decaffeination of coffee. It is, however, toxic and though scientific proof is as yet inconclusive, it is believed to be potentially carcinogenic. Liquid, colourless and volatile, it has to be disposed of according to strict regulations and its users must take adequate safety precautions: wearing masks, gloves, overalls and goggles. There is no escape for restorers: universal paint-stripper works and all attempts to imitate it using less harmful solvents have had little success.

The AREA staff initiated a sector study and as a first step contacted a sample group of restorers in Friuli Venezia Giulia to get an understanding of how common, and pressing, a concern this was. A female restorer who had recently married admitted that she had recently given up the profession, a lifelong passion, because of her fears about the effects of paint-removers on a future possible pregnancy.

Professor Gianpiero Adami of the Chemical Sciences Department at the University of Trieste was chosen to set up an investigation and to find a solution. Adami has specific experience in environmental chemistry and has worked for some time with the Regional Centre for Cataloguing and Restoration of Cultural Heritage based at Villa Manin di Passariano (Udine), founded in 1971 and considered to be one of the leading national organisations working in the field.

Once an analysis of the current situation had been carried out, AREA studied the national and international standards regarding the use of paint-removers and similar substances, and searched patent and document records to see if there was an environmentally-friendly alternative to universal paint-stripper. With the collaboration of Adami, tens of companies working in the sector were contacted and, with the help of a group of restorers, the main competitors to dicloromethane available on the market were put to the test.

Performance, hazards, composition, applications and reaction time were all evaluated. The research study found that while there are numerous 'green', non-toxic products available, none of them were fully successful in meeting the needs of the restorers. Some penetrated too deeply and risked damaging surfaces, others didn't penetrate enough, and others which seemed to work well were not cost efficient. It seemed that there was no middle way- a product with the same level of performance as universal paint-remover but without the risks that it poses to health and the environment, and without the need for specialised waste disposal.

Once the first phase of monitoring was complete, Adami began to experiment with different chemical compositions. After tens of different attempts and months of work. He came up with a solution to prove Gide's rule.

The product conceived by Adami is a mixture of two organic compounds, dimethyl sulfide and Iimonene, both solvents with low toxicity. The former, discovered in 1867, is used in the most diverse of fields, from the electronics industry to medicine. The latter is a terpene found in citrus fruits, has a pleasant odour, is a degreaser and, of course, takes its name from lemons, it is used in cosmetics, botanics and other industries.

The real innovation in Gianpiero Adami's product comes from combining the two substances to significantly improve their efficacy. In spite of being slightly more costly than dicloromethane paint-removers, the new product has produced extremely encouraging results: it is efficient, has negliglibile toxicity, needs no safety gear and is not considered hazardous waste.

Adami, who says that some of his best ideas come to him during the night or when travelling, didn't just stop at creating a new product but has also created a new application method. Unlike dicloromethane, the new paint-remover isn't applied with a paintbrush and then removed with a scraper, but comes in gel form which is spread on a strip of non-woven fabric and covered with a protective layer of aluminium.

The strip is then placed onto the surface to be treated and left to do its work. The solvent gradually passes to the object (further increasing the effect of the compound) while the protective layer prevents evaporation and limits inhalation by the user. While the solvent is working the strip also absorbs any residue, and the aluminium facilitates its use on uneven surfaces such as corners, grooves or protusions.

An average application time of twenty to thirty minutes gives excellent results and the use of incandescent lamp to warm the area to be treated increases the potency of the solvent. On more resistant paints and varnishes, such as those used on boats or on parquet flooring, more than one application is generally needed.

The product owes its existence to chance: a protective glove was accidentally dropped onto one of the samples which was being experimented on. The following morning, the paint-remover and paint were perfectly attached to the surface of the glove, just like in depilatory strips.

Once the formula had been finalised, AREA created a strategy to protect the invention and today the product is patented across Europe. Both the chemical compound and the application method are protected. While Adami is the inventor, the patent belongs, in accordance with national legislation, to the University of Trieste.

The collaboration between Adami and AREA continues: as the professor of Chemistry works to refine the compound and evaluate new application methods, AREA is supporting the production of a range of prototypes for use in other potential fields: from restoration to ship building and from flooring to building. The next goal, which is already being worked towards, is turning the prototype into a real product.

At the moment nothing has been decided but the most likely outcome is a partnership with a company working in this sector. The first contacts have already been made. As Gide would say, the solution is on its way.