Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Tattoo Ink by GC/MS

Importance of the Topic

Modern tattoo inks are directly introduced into the dermal layer, making any harmful impurities an immediate health concern. Among these, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are classified as human carcinogens and may form during pigment manufacturing. Evaluating PAH content in tattoo inks is therefore critical for consumer safety and regulatory compliance.

Objectives and Overview of the Study

This application note describes a streamlined approach to quantify PAH impurities in black tattoo ink. The study aims to develop a reliable liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) sample preparation procedure followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis, emphasizing accuracy, reproducibility, and run time efficiency.

Methodology and Instrumentation Used

The sample preparation involves weighing 1 g of ink, spiking with native and deuterated PAH standards, extracting twice with ethyl acetate, centrifugation, and mechanical shaking. After separation, a small aliquot of the supernatant is transferred to a GC/MS vial.

Instrumentation used:

• GC column: Zebron ZB-5MSPLUS (30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 μm) with 10 m Z-Guard™
• Injector: Splitless at 250 °C, 1 µL injection volume
• Carrier gas: Helium at 1.4 mL/min (constant flow)
• Oven program: 75 °C (1 min), ramp to 340 °C at 20 °C/min, hold 2 min
• Detection: Mass spectrometer at 320 °C, SIM acquisition for 23 PAH analytes and four deuterated internal standards

Main Results and Discussion

The ZB-5MSPLUS column delivered sharp, well-resolved peaks for all PAHs within a 20-minute run time. Analytical recovery decreased as molecular weight increased, reflecting stronger adsorption of heavier PAHs onto carbon-black pigment. Uncorrected recoveries ranged from about 60 % to 90 %. Incorporating deuterated internal standards restored accuracy, with spiked recoveries of naphthalene, acenaphthene, phenanthrene, and chrysene between 87 % and 113 % and RSDs below 6 %. Calibration curves exhibited excellent linearity (R² > 0.9997).

Benefits and Practical Applications

This method offers a rapid, cost-effective route for routine screening of tattoo inks by quality control laboratories and regulatory bodies. The straightforward LLE procedure and robust GC/MS conditions ensure reliable quantitation of carcinogenic PAHs, supporting safer ink formulation and monitoring.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Advances may include integration of high‐resolution mass spectrometry or tandem MS for even lower detection limits and enhanced selectivity. Automated sample preparation and on‐site portable GC/MS systems could further improve throughput and field applicability. Expansion to colored inks and pigment matrices beyond black formulations would broaden safety assessments.

Conclusion

The combination of a simple LLE extraction, deuterated internal standard correction, and the inert Zebron ZB-5MSPLUS GC column produces a robust analytical platform for PAH determination in tattoo inks. This protocol delivers accurate, reproducible results within a 20-minute analysis time, making it suitable for routine compliance testing.

References

Regensburger J., Lehner K., Maisch T., Vasold R., Santarelli F., Engel E., Gollmer A., König B., Landthaler M., Baumler W. Tattoo inks contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that additionally generate deleterious singlet oxygen. Experimental Dermatology. 2010;19(3):275–281.