Scientists from the USA found banned substances in European tattoo inks

Several popular tattoo inks sold in Europe contain pigments banned by regional chemical regulations, reports the Royal Society of Chemistry. This conclusion was reached by a team of scientists led by John Swirko from Binghamton University (USA). The group of researchers is urging the industry to develop improved and standardized protocols for the production of tattoo inks.

Chemists examined five green and five blue inks from five manufacturers that claim compliance with REACH (European Chemicals Agency) regulations. However, only one of the ten inks met the requirements. Nine of the inks contained components not listed on their labels.

It is worth noting that tattoo inks in Europe are subject to stricter regulations than in the USA and other countries. In 2023, certain hazardous substances, including pigments Blue 15:3 and Green 7, were banned by REACH due to the risk of cancer or genetic mutations. Four of the inks examined contained Green 7, and two contained Blue 15, although the specific polymorph of the pigment could not be identified.

Ingredients of concern, such as polyethylene glycol and propylene glycol, were also found, although they are not banned by REACH. For instance, one of the inks listed butylene glycol on its label, but it was not detected by the scientists. Additionally, isopropyl alcohol was found in one of the pigments at a concentration banned by REACH.

Earlier this year, Swirko's team examined tattoo inks from nine manufacturers in the USA and found that over 80% of them had significant discrepancies between their compositions and labels.

«Our goal is to start with a simple question about whether the labeling is accurate, because if you want to track adverse events, you need to know what is in the inks to begin working in a different direction» - says John Swirko, the research team leader