Chelation & chemical lysis

Chelation & Chemical Lysis (protocol P5, Mineral Chelation) is the non-abrasive removal of deeply-bonded biological growth — especially crustose lichen — by chemically sequestering the metal cations the organism uses to grip and dissolve the stone, then lysing (rupturing) its cells. By dissolving the bond rather than grinding it off, it clears growth from soft calcareous and heritage stone without the spalling that abrasion would cause. It is the conservation-grade answer for fabric where pressure is forbidden, aligned with current limestone-bioreceptivity conservation research.