科學家稱紋身墨水毒素有致癌風險

英國科學家表示，紋身墨水中的毒素被身體吸收後可能會致癌。他們認爲，紋身墨水中的納米顆粒進入血管後會聚集在脾臟和腎臟，從而影響身體的排毒功能。英國公共衛生部指出，部分紋身墨水中含有鈷和汞，而目前市場上使用的部分紋身墨水產品沒有產品說明和成分表，用戶在紋身時對潛在的風險一無所知。英國成年人當中，約20%有紋身。哥本哈根大學醫院的一位教授研究發現，歐洲人常用的21中紋身墨水中有13種含有致癌化學元素。他提出，用戶在紋身前應通過書面形式被告知潛在的風險，同時對這些化學元素的危害性還需要進一步研究。

Toxins from tattoo ink could be absorbed into the body and cause cancer, scientists have revealed.

Experts believe ink nanoparticles could enter the bloodstream and accumulate in the spleen and kidneys, harming the body's ability to filter impurities.

Studies have found that some ink used in the UK contains known carcinogens and scientists want more regulation of the dyes used by the industry.

Public Health England says that some inks contain substances such as cobalt and mercury.

Scientists want similar regulations on tattoo dyes that have been introduced on the smoking and sunbathing industries.

Desmond Tobin, director of Bradford University's centre for skin sciences, told The Sunday Times that he was shocked to discover there was no regulation on inks.

He said: 'We need to do more work, but there is no question that these substances can be toxic.'

About 20 percent of British adults have a tattoo and last month Public Health England published new guidance on the industry.

It said: 'Some inks are sold with little or no accompanying product data, and their composition may remain uncertain even at the point of use.'

The report found that red colours have been found to contain mercury, while greens and blues have been found to contain cobalt.

A study by Jorgen Serup, Copenhagen's university hospital's professor of dermatology, found carcinogenic chemicals in 13 of 21 commonly used European tattoo inks.

He told paper: 'Millions of Europeans are now being tattooed with chemical substances of unknown origin.'

Professor Serup wants people to be given written information about the risks of tattoos and wants further research into the potential dangers.

Two years ago the U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched an investigation after research found inks contained potentially dangerous substances including metals and hyrocarbons that are known carcinogens.

One chemical commonly used to make black tattoo ink called benzo(a)pyrene is known to be a potent carcinogen that causes skin cancer in animal tests.