How can I tell whether my book contains arsenic?
- Check our free resources:
I’ve checked your flowchart, color swatch bookmark, and database, and I think my book might contain arsenic. How can I be sure?
- X-ray fluorescence (XRF). This is our preferred method for detecting arsenic in bookbinding materials because it is a safe and quick method. However, it does require specialized equipment and expertise to interpret the results. You can ask at your local museum or university to find out whether they offer this kind of analysis.
- Industrial Hygiene or Environmental Testing Labs. Industrial hygiene labs offer arsenic testing services typically geared toward institutions/companies, but many also work with individuals. Costs will vary depending on the lab.
- Important Note: Many labs use a GhostWipe for test sampling. A GhostWipe is a damp wipe and should NOT be used on books that are suspected to contain arsenic. Only a dry wipe or swab should be used to sample green pigment on a book. Please let the GhostWipe air dry completely before using it on your book. Using a DRY wipe instead of a damp one protects both your book and your health.
- If the industrial hygienist you have contacted needs more technical information, please share the links to our professional publications with them.
- Other options. Preservation consultants, regional cultural heritage conservation labs, and university analysis labs may be able to test for arsenic.
- You can find a conservation professional near you through the American Institute for Conservation.
- There are many ways to analyze cultural heritage materials safely. It may be possible to find a local resource for one of these types of tests.
I found an at-home arsenic test kit online. Can I use this to test my book?
- Please do NOT use an at-home kit to test your books. We understand that these kits may seem like an easy and affordable way to test your book at home. However, these kits are safe only when used to test for trace amounts of arsenic in drinking water. These at-home kits are NOT SAFE for the purpose of testing books.
- For more information about why at-home kits are not safe for testing books, read the section about Microchemical Test Kits on our Submit Data page.
I know my book contains arsenic. Should I throw it away?
- Please don’t throw away your historical bookbinding because you’re worried that it contains arsenic! These books are significant objects of material culture and should be preserved.
- Please see our simple guidelines for safer storage and handling of arsenical books in your personal or institutional collection.
- Consider donating or selling your arsenical book to a private collector or institution.
- Contact us at poisonbookproject@udel.edu (subject: “Locating a Collection”) for guidance about how to locate a collection that may be able to care for your arsenical book.
- If you are unconvinced and still want to discard your arsenical book, then it must be disposed of as hazardous waste according to your local or state guidelines. Information on hazardous waste disposal for the United States can be found on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website.