The
popularity of a tattoo gone from sub-culture to pop culture in recent years, however,
getting a tattoo can potentially put your health at risk. A tattoo is a form of
external body modification in which a needle is inserted in the dermis layer in
order to transfer the pigments. Tattoo inks are a mixture of organic and metal
complex dyes in various solvents; the solvents with ethyl alcohol are more
commonly used as the alcohol increases the skin’s permeability but also carries
more hazardous materials into the blood. Despite the high numbers of tattooed
individuals, there has been no study until now of the harmful solvents and
impurities contained in tattoo products.
This study used gas chromatography to develop analytical methods pertaining to volatile organic compounds, (VOCs), and aldehydes in tattoo ink. This experiment tested many of the organic compounds found in tattoo ink, but did not include a study of the inorganic compounds, which would have provided a broader perspective on the dangers of tattoo ink. 1.0ml of tattoo ink sample and 4.0ml of pure water were placed in a 10ml head space vial. An extraction was carried out simultaneously in an HS vial with continuous shaking, and the derivatives were vaporized in the heated injection port and passed on to the column for analysis. Extractions were performed for a heating time of 40 minutes at temperatures of 50°C and pH 9.0.
The results of this experiment concluded what this group of researchers had been concerned about; the detection limits obtained from calculations using the GC-MS results were within the range of 0.002-0.038µg/kg. This range indicates that 0.7-14% of the tattoo inks used were composed of VOC’s or aldehydes… are you still considering that tattoo now??
This study used gas chromatography to develop analytical methods pertaining to volatile organic compounds, (VOCs), and aldehydes in tattoo ink. This experiment tested many of the organic compounds found in tattoo ink, but did not include a study of the inorganic compounds, which would have provided a broader perspective on the dangers of tattoo ink. 1.0ml of tattoo ink sample and 4.0ml of pure water were placed in a 10ml head space vial. An extraction was carried out simultaneously in an HS vial with continuous shaking, and the derivatives were vaporized in the heated injection port and passed on to the column for analysis. Extractions were performed for a heating time of 40 minutes at temperatures of 50°C and pH 9.0.
The results of this experiment concluded what this group of researchers had been concerned about; the detection limits obtained from calculations using the GC-MS results were within the range of 0.002-0.038µg/kg. This range indicates that 0.7-14% of the tattoo inks used were composed of VOC’s or aldehydes… are you still considering that tattoo now??
1. Is the 0.7-0.14% enough of those organic compounds to be harmful?
ReplyDelete2. Was there one brand or color of ink that was better or worse in the others?
1. Why would they use a chemical to sanitize that increases the skin's permeability?
ReplyDelete2. Why were these VOCs present, and what can they do to stop them from permeating into one's bloodstream?
1. What conclusion was reached?
ReplyDelete2. Did they ever disclose what types of tattoo ink contained low amounts of VOCs or aldehydes?
1. Was the percent of organic compounds what they expected? Is there a level considered physiologically dangerous?
ReplyDelete2. Have there been more studies since this one in 2016? Have manufacturers altered their products in reaction to these findings?
1. What does a higher percent composition of organic compounds in a tattoo indicate? Does this lead to harmful repercussions?
ReplyDelete2. What is the goal of using the GC to analyze the different components of tattoo ink? Are scientists trying to decrease the amount of tattoos made?
1. Were any of the VOCs found in the ink harmful in any way?
ReplyDelete2. Based on what was found, will the compounds in ink change now?
1. Why did they use purified water versus normal water?
ReplyDelete2. What damages can these chemicals cause?
Was there one brand or color of ink that was better or worse in the others?
ReplyDeleteBlack ink frequently contains benzene, a carcinogen known to migrate from the skin to the lymph nodes. https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i33/chemicals-tattoo.html
What damages can these chemicals cause?
Benzene, chloroform, ethylbenzene, and styrene, all commonly found in tattoo inks, are consid-ered carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. https://academic.oup.com/chromsci/article/55/2/109/2354593
What conclusion was reached?
The article stated that carcinogens were often found in tattoo inks in levels above those safely permitted for ingestion. There is also a lack of regulation of VOCs and aldehydes, which is very dangerous considering the serious health issues they can cause. The researchers concluded by recommending that authorities regulate tattoo inks and attempt to lower the levels of VOCs and aldehydes. https://academic.oup.com/chromsci/article/55/2/109/2354593
Why would they use a chemical to sanitize that increases the skin's permeability?
The permeability of the skin is increased so that the chemicals in the tattoo ink can more effec-tively be absorbed into the blood stream. These solvents must be declared safe for consumers. https://academic.oup.com/chromsci/article/55/2/109/2354593