some of your old books may be toxic!

Old books may contain toxic substances, especially those dating from the 19th century.

In the digital age, we tend to forget that books can represent a danger. However, certain old works contain elements so toxic that they require particular attention before being placed on the shelves of public libraries, bookstores or even private homes.

Toxic pigments in book bindings

THE Poisonous Book Project, a collaborative research project between the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library and the University of Delaware, set out to catalog these dangerous books. Their concerns are not about the content written on the pages, but rather the physical components of the books themselves – more specifically, the color of their cover.

The project recently influenced the decision to withdraw two books from the French National Library. The reason ? Their bright green fabric covers raise suspicions of the presence of arsenic.

This concern is rooted in historical practices of bookbinding. During the 19th century, with the rise of mass production of books, bookbinders switched from expensive leather covers to more affordable fabrics. To attract readersthese fabric covers were often painted in bright, eye-catching colors.

Arsenic green, a popular poison

One of the most popular pigments was Scheele’s green. This name is taken from Carl Wilhelm Scheele, a German-Swedish chemist who discovered in 1775 that a bright green pigment could be produced from copper and arsenic. This dye was cheap to make. Additionally, it was also more vibrant than the copper carbonate greens that have been used for over a century.

Scheele’s green eventually fell out of favor because it tended to turn black when it reacted with sulfur pollutants released from coal. However, new dyes based on Scheele’s discovery, such as emerald green and Paris green, proved much more durable. They were quickly adopted for use in various items, including book covers, clothing, candles and wallpaper.

Serious consequences for health

These pigments, however, had a major drawback: they degraded easily, releasing toxic and carcinogenic arsenic. There have been frequent reports of children being poisoned by green candles during Christmas celebrations. Some factory workers responsible for applying paint to ornaments have convulsionse and vomited green water. Finally, warnings about toxic prom dresses have raised serious concerns about the safety of these green dyes.

This problem became so notorious that in 1862 the satirical magazine Punch published a cartoon called “The Arsenic Waltz”. This one depicts skeletons dancing – a dark commentary on the deadly clothing trend.

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The harmful effects of these pigments have even been involved in Napoleon’s death from stomach cancer. Napoleon was particularly fond of the new green colors. He then had his home in Saint Helena, where he was exiled, painted in his favorite color.

One theory is that arsenic in the walls contributed to his death. Indeed, high levels of arsenic detected in samples of his hair. Despite the obvious link between green pigments and health problems, toxic wallpapers continued to be produced until the end of the 19th century.

Other colors to look out for on old books

In addition to green, red and yellow are also colors to watch out for in old books due to the potential presence of toxic pigments:

The Red

• THE vermiliona bright red pigment, was made from cinnabara mercury sulfide ore.
• Its use had been widespread in paint and stains for centuries, including in book bindings.
• Exposure to mercury from cinnabar can lead to serious health problems. This includes kidney, nerve and lung damage.

Yellow

• THE lead chromatea bright yellow pigment, was used in paints and dyes.
• It is also found in some book bindings. It is often found with other pigments to create greens, oranges and browns.
• Ingestion or inhalation of lead chromate dust can cause digestive problems, kidney damage and lung cancer.

Preventive measures against these toxic books

So, what should you do if you come across a green cloth-bound book from the 19th century? First of all, don’t worry too much. You would probably have to eat the entire book to suffer serious arsenic poisoning. However, accidental exposure to copper acetoarsenitethe compound found in green pigment, can irritate the eyes, nose and throat.

The risk is greater for people who regularly handle these books. The fact is thatfrequent contact can lead to more serious symptoms. Therefore, anyone who might handle a Victorian-era book with an emerald green binding should wear gloves and avoid touching your face. Then clean all surfaces after handling.

To help identify these potentially dangerous books, the Poisonous Book Project has incorporated crowdsourced data into its research. Researchers are now distributing bookmarks. These feature safety warnings and feature different shades of emerald green to help with identification. Thanks to this, they have already identified more than 238 arsenic editions around the world.