Toxic Metals and Cancerous Compounds Found in Australian Tattoo Inks: Study

Each of the 15 tattoo inks analysed failed at least one EU safety regulation for tattoo inks, researchers found.

A person receives a leg tattoo during the Brighton Tattoo Convention at Brighton Centre on February 22, 2025 in Brighton, England.Photo by Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images

Tattoo inks sold in Australia have been found to contain toxic metals and cancerous compounds that do not meet European Union (EU) safety standards, an Australian study has found.

The study, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, found high levels of multiple regulated toxic substances, such as arsenic and lead, in 15 black and coloured tattoo inks purchased by Australian suppliers from established international tattoo ink brands.

However, the authors said this finding is not a cause for panic.

Toxic Metals and Carcinogens in Tattoo Ink

Restricted metals, including antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium, and tin, were found above safe levels, the study found.

Under EU regulations, antimony concentration is restricted to 0.00005 percent weight under EU Commission Regulation 2020/2081 (EU2020/2081 ) and 2 (parts per million) ppm under Council of Europe Resolution ResAP (2008) (ResAP(2008)1). All fifteen dyes exceeded the EU thresholds.

Selenium is restricted to 2 ppm in both EU2020/2081 and ResAP(2008)1, where ten dyes exceeded this limit.

“When we benchmarked these products against EU standards, every ink we tested failed on at least one regulated substance,” said UNSW’s William Alex Donald, corresponding author of the study.

Carcinogenic chemicals were also found. Three inks contained toluidine, a compound generally used in rubber chemicals, industry dyes and pigments.

Toluidine exposure has been associated with urinary bladder cancer in humans. When absorbed into the body, toluidine is broken down to form a carcinogenic compound (N-acetoxy-o-toluidine). The compound can travel to the bladder and is “activated” by the acidic urine, causing it to bind to DNA and cause damage.

Nine samples also included sulphanilic acid, a suspected carcinogen. Earlier works show that the compound may cause regenerative hyperplasia, a process that causes more cells to be present than normal. The National Cancer Institute says the hyperplasia “may or may not become cancer.”

Both these substances are currently banned under EU regulations, but present in the Australian inks.

Unregulated Metals Also Found in Bright Inks

The researchers also found that brightly coloured inks contained additional toxic compounds not currently restricted.

High levels of pigment-associated metals were found, including titanium, aluminium, and zirconium.

Titanium was at concentrations of up to about 10,000 ppm in a light-blue ink, whole aluminium and zirconium were also present at very high levels.

Even though these metals are currently not restricted, lead author Jake Violi said their high concentrations raise concerns about their toxicity profiles.

Around 20 percent of Australian adults have at least one tattoo, according to the study. This means approximately 5.5 million Australians may be exposed to the chemical contents of tattoos over long periods.

Tattoo ink contains a mix of complex pigments, solvents, and additives. They are designed to remain in the body long term, injected below the skin’s surface.

The inking process bypasses many of the body’s natural protective barriers, which raises concerns as tattoo pigments can persist in the skin and can migrate to lymph nodes.

Additionally, a 2024 study published in The Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine found that tattooed individuals had a higher adjusted risk of overall lymphoma.

Call for Regulation, Not Panic

The authors said their findings are not a cause for panic.

Donald said the results shows the need for closer scrutiny and should not be interpreted as evidence that tattoos directly cause harm.

“We are not saying people should not get tattoos,” he said.

“We are saying the chemical content of inks matters, and there is very little routine checking of what is actually sold in Australia.”

In the EU, manufacturers and suppliers must comply with the EU Commission Regulation 2020/2081 and Council of Europe Resolution ResAP (2008). Australia, however, does not have a regulatory framework. Oversight relies primarily on voluntary compliance and occasional characterisation studies.

The authors noted that internationally only 11 percent of inks were labelled correctly in the United States, while in Sweden, more than 90 percent of inks failed labelling requirements and had concentrations of metals above regulatory thresholds.

“This indicates tattoo inks remain a significant and under-regulated source of toxic metal exposure,” according to the UNSW press release.

Donald said that further targeted studies are needed to confirm the specific chemical forms of some regulated substances.

“It also means understanding how factors such as ageing, sunlight exposure and tattoo removal might influence long-term exposure.”

Donald added that Australian tattoo inks should align with international best practices, such as those enforced by the EU.

Meanwhile, the Cancer Council recommends people who choose to get a tattoo to ask whether the inks used comply with the EU standards.