Dr Pilar Gil, Erica Kotze
Can you tell which books might cause you harm?
Pigments used to colour historic books sometimes contain hazardous substances, making them very dangerous to handle.
Of particular concern is arsenic which, combined with copper, creates a bright green that was used to colour books, dresses, socks, and many other everyday items in the 1800s. This pigment is called emerald green.
Museums and libraries across the world have inherited these items from the past, and are facing increasing challenges in recognising and treating poisonous books appropriately.
Come along to the Wardlaw Museum to discover more about emerald green and the ongoing research to develop StAArT – the St Andrews University Arsenical Tool.