Poisoned Pages: Testing for toxic elements in 19th-century book bindings

Abstract

Historical books from the 19th century often contain vibrant pigments formulated with heavy metals, which pose a health risk to library staff and patrons as books age. This study aimed to identify and characterize toxic elements in 19th century books from the Walker Library's Special Collections to inform safter handling and storage protocols. Using non-destructive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, 34 books from the period were scanned. Of the 33 books, 34 (97.1%) books were found to contain at least one toxic metal, including lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), and copper (Cu). By cross-referencing elemental composition with book color and historical pigments we were able to tentatively identify specific pigments such as chrome yellow, lead white, and vermillion. This research confirms the widespread presence of toxic pigments in historical collections and directly supports the implementation of new safety standards, including the sequestration of toxic books, safe storage, and proper personal protective equipment when handling these books.