Researchers at Lipscomb University found that Victorian-era books with brightly colored covers may contain dangerous levels of toxic dyes with heavy metals like lead and chromium, exceeding US CDC limits for chronic exposure.
These toxic pigments can be harmful if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin. The researchers are using non-destructive testing methods like X-ray fluorescence and XRD to detect the toxic metals.
The findings will be presented at the American Chemical Society Fall 2024 meeting as part of the Poisonous Books Project, which aims to identify toxic pigments in books worldwide.
Safety measures like sealing untested books in plastic and removing dangerous ones from circulation are being implemented.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: NY Post, Washington Times, SciTechDaily, El Confidencial, Mathrubhumi, The Weather Channel, Metro, Weekly Voice, Newswise, EurekAlert!