Tattoo Ink Nanoparticles Persist in Lymph Nodes

Analysis of the bodies of deceased individuals can’t determine what effect these tattoo remnants have on lymph function, but researchers suggest dirty needles aren’t the only risk of the age-old practice.

Written byJef Akst

| 2 min read

Save for Later

Listen with Speechify

0:00

2:00

FLICKR, KELVYN SKEETattoo inks consist of organic pigments as well as preservatives and contaminants. According to a study published today (September 12) in Scientific Reports, at least one of these components can travel to the lymph nodes in the form of nanoparticles, posing potential risks to tattooed individuals.

“We already knew that pigments from tattoos would travel to the lymph nodes because of visual evidence: the lymph nodes become tinted with the colour of the tattoo. It is the response of the body to clean the site,” study coauthor Bernhard Hesse, a visiting scientist at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France, says in a press release. “What we didn’t know is that they do it in a nano form, which implies that they may not have the same behaviour as the particles at a micro level. And that is the problem: we don’t know how nanoparticles react.”

The particles the team studied were titanium dioxide (TiO2), a white pigment that is commonly used to lighten various pigments in tattoo ink. ...

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!

Join for free today

Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
View Full Profile