
Think Before You Ink
Advanced mass spectrometry finds that tattoo ink can migrate to lymph nodes
Joanna Cummings |
With an estimated 30 percent of Americans now sporting at least one tattoo, going under the needle has never been so popular (1). But could the long-term effects of body art be more than skin deep? A study has shown that nanoparticles of tattoo pigments can travel from the skin to the lymph nodes, raising new questions about potential risks (2).
According to scientists from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), safety concerns have been triggered by the increasing prevalence of tattoos. Earlier chemical analysis of tattooed skin has mostly been in vitro (3), but pigmented and enlarged lymph nodes have been noted previously in people with tattoos (4). The German researchers wanted to examine the phenomenon in more detail.
Enjoy our FREE content!
Log in or register to read this article in full and gain access to The Analytical Scientist’s entire content archive. It’s FREE and always will be!
Login if you already created an account
Or register now - it’s free and always will be!
You will benefit from:
- Unlimited access to ALL articles
- News, interviews & opinions from leading industry experts
- Receive print (and PDF) copies of The Analytical Scientist magazine