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Anal Chem

Title:		Establishment of an extraction method for the recovery of tattoo pigments from human skin using HPLC diode array detector technology
Author(s):		Engel E; Santarelli F; Vasold R; Ulrich H; Maisch T; Konig B; Landthaler M; Gopee NV; Howard PC; Baumler W;
Address:		"Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Germany"
Journal Title:		Anal Chem
Year:		2006
Volume:		78
Issue:		18
Page Number:		6440 - 6447
DOI:		10.1021/ac0607461
ISSN/ISBN:		0003-2700 (Print) 0003-2700 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Tattooing is a widespread process of puncturing pigments into skin, whereas the resulting concentration inside the skin remains unknown. Many tattoo colorants are organic pigments, such as azo pigments, manufactured for other uses. To remove tattoos from skin, laser pulses at very high intensities are applied to the skin to destroy the tattoo pigments. Recent investigations have shown that several azo compounds are cleaved by laser light leading to potentially toxic or carcinogenic compounds. To assess the risk of tattooing and laser treatment of tattoos, the concentration of the pigments and their decomposition products in the skin must be determined. Therefore, an extraction method was established to determine the concentration of tattoo pigments and decomposition products quantitatively. The extraction of two widely used azo compounds, Pigment Red 22 and Pigment Red 9, and their laser-induced decomposition products, 2-methyl-5-nitroaniline, 4-nitrotoluene, 2,5-dichloraniline, and 1,4-dichlorobenzene, was accomplished using recovery experiments and HPLC-DAD technology. Despite the poor solubility of the pigments, a nearly complete recovery from aqueous suspension (> 92%) or lysed skin (> 94%) was achieved. The decomposition products were extracted from aqueous suspension or skin showing a recovery of up to 100%, except for the very volatile 1,4-DCB"
Keywords:		"Azo Compounds/*isolation & purification Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/*methods Humans Skin/*chemistry *Tattooing;"
Notes:		"MedlineEngel, Eva Santarelli, Francesco Vasold, Rudolf Ulrich, Heidi Maisch, Tim Konig, Burkhard Landthaler, Michael Gopee, Neera V Howard, Paul C Baumler, Wolfgang eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2006/09/15 Anal Chem. 2006 Sep 15; 78(18):6440-7. doi: 10.1021/ac0607461"