These Researchers Have Identified Over 300 Poisonous Books That Can Pose A Real Danger To The Health Of Those Handling Them
In modern society, books are among the last things we think of that can cause us harm. The biggest injury you might receive from a book is probably a paper cut.
But in the past, some books were made with certain elements that are toxic, and they can pose a real danger to the health of those handling them.
In France’s national library, four volumes laced with arsenic were found on the shelves. Upon their discovery, they were immediately removed from public access.
The Poisonous Book Project is dedicated to identifying these types of books. Researchers participating in the project study the colors of covers to see if books contain poisons.
The 19th century is when the toxic book trade really started taking off. Bookbinders went from using expensive leather covers to affordable cloth covers dyed in eye-catching colors. However, many of these cloth covers contained heavy metal pigments.
“Heavy metal pigments were popular in art, books, wallpapers, and other domestic products in the 19th century because they were so vibrant,” Melissa Tedone, a co-leader of the project and an assistant professor of library and archives conservation at the University of Delaware, said.
“Two of the most poisonous of those pigments are emerald green, which contains arsenic, and chrome yellow, which contains lead and chromium.”
Red is also a color of concern. This brilliant pigment was created from the mineral cinnabar or mercury sulfide.
Vermilion red occasionally appeared on patterns inside book covers. There is even evidence that Neolithic artists endured mercury poisoning.
DTowersPhoto – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
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Around the beginning of the 20th century, heavy metal pigments stopped being used because of a shift toward newly invented synthetic dyes.
They were still brightly colored and resistant to fading when exposed to light, but they were also much less toxic. So, exactly how dangerous are these poisonous books?
“For skin exposure to cause problems, you would probably need to handle lots of emerald green books over long periods of time,” said Tedone.
“The more serious concern is accidentally transferring arsenic to your mouth, nose, or eyes with contaminated hands.”
It is recommended that those handling an old book with vibrant green binding should wear gloves and avoid touching their face.
After contact with the book, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. Additionally, clean all surfaces the book has touched.
Yellow books, the ones with lead and chromium, have not been found to transfer heavy metals onto the skin.
So far, the researchers have identified 313 arsenic editions in libraries and secondhand bookstores across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
You can visit The Poisonous Book Project here.
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