Like old hardcover books? They may be dangerous for you, says new study

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If you come across brightly coloured, cloth-bound books from the Victorian era, handle them carefully, or avoid them altogether. These books could be hiding toxic dyes that pose health risks to readers, collectors, or librarians, according to research on Sunday.

Researchers at Lipscomb University in the US assessed the dangerous dyes in a university collection and found some volumes may be unsafe to handle. Users risk exposure if pigments from these cloth covers rub off onto their hands or become airborne, they said.

"These old books with toxic dyes may be in universities, public libraries, and private collections," said Abigail Hoermann, an undergraduate chemistry student at Lipscomb University.

The research began when Lipscomb librarians approached the chemistry department to test 19th- and early-20th-century fabric-covered books. Inspired by the Winterthur Museum's discovery of arsenic-laden copper acetoarsenite in book covers, the team launched their investigation in 2022.

They used three spectroscopic techniques: X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to detect heavy metals, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to measure metal concentrations, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify pigment molecules.

XRD testing, a first for books, revealed high levels of lead and chromium, particularly in the form of lead(II) chromate, a pigment also used by Vincent van Gogh.

Their analysis showed metal concentrations in some books exceeding US CDC limits for chronic exposure, prompting the Lipscomb library to seal untested and confirmed toxic books in plastic bags for safe handling and storage.

The researchers plan to advocate for non-destructive testing methods like XRD to protect historical collections without damaging them. "Moving forward," says Hoermann, "we want libraries to be able to test their collections without destroying them."

The team will present their findings at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2024 meeting, held virtually and in person from August 18-22.

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