Nanoparticles from tattoos circulate inside the body, study finds

said braka 12:49 AM
"When someone wants to get a tattoo, they are often

very careful in choosing a parlour where they use sterile needles that haven't been used previously. No one checks the chemical composition of the colours, but our study shows that maybe they should," explains Hiram Castillo, one of the authors of the study and scientist at the ESRF.
The reality is that little is known about the potential impurities in the colour mixture applied to the skin. Most tattoo inks contain organic pigments, but also include preservatives and contaminants like nickel, chromium, manganese or cobalt. Besides carbon black, the second most common ingredient used in tattoo inks is  (TiO2), a white  usually applied to create certain shades when mixed with colorants. TiO2 is also commonly used in food additives, sunscreens and paints. Delayed healing, along with skin elevation and itching, are often associated with white tattoos, and by consequence with the use of TiO2.


Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-09-nanoparticles-tattoos-circulate-body.html#jCp