title: Identification and hazard prediction of tattoo pigments by means of pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
abstract: The implementation of regulation for tattoo ink ingredients across Europe has generated the need for analytical methods suitable to identify prohibited compounds. Common challenges of this subject are the poor solubility and the lack of volatility for most pigments and polymers applied in tattoo inks. Here, we present pyrolysis coupled to online gas chromatography and electron impact ionization mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS) as quick and reliable tool for pigment identification using both purified pigments and tattoo ink formulations. Some 36 organic pigments frequently used in tattoo inks were subjected to py-GC/MS with the aim to establish a pyrogram library. To cross-validate pigment identification, 28 commercially available tattoo inks as well as 18 self-made pigment mixtures were analyzed. Pyrograms of inks and mixtures were evaluated by two different means to work out the most reliable and fastest strategy for an otherwise rather time-consuming data review. Using this approach, the declaration of tattoo pigments currently used on the market could be verified. The pyrolysis library presented here is also assumed suitable to predict decomposition patterns of pigments when affected by other degradation scenarios, such as sunlight exposure or laser irradiation. Thus, the consumers' risk associated with the exposure to toxicologically relevant substances that originate from pigment decomposition in the dermal layers of the skin can be assessed. Differentiation between more or less harmful pigments for this field of application now will become feasible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany. Ines.Schreiver@bfr.bund.de.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schreiver
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hutzler
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andree
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laux
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luch
mesh_terms: D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000633:toxicity*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007281:Ink; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012995:Solubility; D013472:Sunlight; D013653:Tattooing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D015386:Hazardous Substances
keywords: Organic pigments; Pigment degradation; Pyrolysis; Tattoo inks; Tattoo toxicity