Characterization of metal-containing nanoparticles in tattoo ink using AF4 coupled with MALS and ICP-MS

This study demonstrates the excellent suitability of AF4-MALS-ICP-MS for the comprehensive characterization of tattoo inks. Besides the particle size distributions obtained from the MALS data, ICP-MS additionally allows statements on the elemental distributions of various metals as a function of the respective particle sizes, providing valuable insight into the composition of the inks. This can not only facilitate the reliable identification and quantification of possible allergenic ingredients (and thus a better risk assessment) but may also help tattoo ink manufacturers to improve their formulations, eventually leading to safer products.