From the BMJ, 2 February 2026:
An analysis of 15 commercially available tattoo inks in Australia has found levels of metals and carcinogens, including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and toluidine, far above European limits.
The study concluded that not one of the tattoo inks met EU safety standards, yet Australia currently lacks binding limits on the composition of tattoo inks.
Analytical chemist W Alexander Donald from the University of New South Wales Sydney said that the study highlighted a potentially dangerous regulatory blind spot. Read more.
Bianca Nogrady 