Touching antique books can secretly poison you, says study

The vibrant pigments used in antique covers of books contained chromium, arsenic and lead, that can lead to health hazards such as cancer.

Every book lover’s dream is to own an antique book with a cloth binding the smell of history and of ancient times. And if the cloth-bound book comes straight out of the Victorian era, then it's a dream come true. However, it may not be all dreams and fun – a recent study states that touching antique books can actually poison us. Shocking revelations have been made by the study that state that the cloth bindings of the book can sometimes contain harmful chemicals and toxins.

Shocking revelations have been made by the study that states that the cloth bindings of the book can sometimes contain harmful chemicals and toxins. (Unsplash)

What makes antique books so sought-after by book lovers?

Well, vibrant colours, intricate designs, and the feeling of owning a book from the Victorian era make antique books a dream for any bibliophile. However, what we may not know is that we might be secretly getting poisoned when we touch these books. The study states that the same vibrant colours that attract us to books come from toxic dyes. The study was conducted by a team of researchers from Lipscomb University in Tennessee – they studied the potential health risk that is lurking on the shelves of libraries and private collections for centuries now.

Antique books.(Unsplash)

In a media release, Abigail Hoermann, an undergraduate studying chemistry at Lipscomb University, said that the old books contain toxic dyes. The study explores the ways toxic dyes can affect people and how old books can be safely stored without the impact of the harmful dyes becoming a health hazard.

The connection between toxic dyes and book covers:

Vibrant colours on antique book covers.(Unsplash)

During the Victorian era of the 19th and early 20th centuries, vibrant colours were used on book covers to catch the attention of book lovers. Hence, book binders used colourful dyes to make the book covers extremely attractive. Various pigments were used to do the same. Some of these pigments contained harmful substances such as arsenic, lead, and chromium. When handled, or inhaled, these substances can lead to health issues. Prolonged exposure can cause cancer, lung damage, and fertility issues.