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Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Health
- Yahoo
If books could kill: The poison legacy lurking in libraries
The Victorians loved the colour green. In particular, they loved a vibrant shade of emerald created by combining copper and arsenic, which was used in everything from wallpaper to children's toys. "This colour was very popular for most of the 19th Century because of its vibrancy and its resistance to light fading," says Erica Kotze, a preservative conservator at the University of St Andrews. "We know that many household items were coloured with arsenic-based green pigments. It was even used in confectionery." The trouble is, the combination of elements used is toxic and that's still a problem more than a century later. And it's a particular problem when it comes to old books. Victorian bookbinders used arsenic as well as mercury and chrome to create striking covers. And unlike domestic items, books have survived in archives around the world, creating a 21st Century problem from 19th Century fashion. Prolonged exposure to multiple green books can cause low level arsenic poisoning. Long-term exposure can cause changes to the skin, harm to the liver and kidneys and a reduction in red and white blood cells, which can lead to anaemia and an increased risk of infections. In 2019, an attempt to tackle the problem was set up in Delaware between the Winterthur Museum and the state university. The Poison Book Project tested books and drew up a list of titles which are potentially harmful to humans. These included four books in the National Library of France, which were immediately withdrawn. Inspired by this, Erica Kotze called on her colleague Dr Pilar Gil, who trained as a biochemist before working in Special Collections at the University of St Andrews. Dr Gil took a practical approach to surveying the thousands of historic books in their collection. "The most important thing was to find a non-destructive, portable instrument that could tell us if it was a poisonous book or not," she says. She rule out X-ray technology because of the fragile nature of the books being examined and instead looked to the geology department. They had a spectrometer - a device that measures the distribution of different wavelengths of light - for detecting minerals in rocks. "Minerals and pigments are very similar," says Dr Gil, "so I borrowed the instrument and started looking for emerald green in books." She tested hundreds of books and then realised she was looking at a breakthrough. "I realised there was a distinctive pattern to the toxic ones. It was a 'eureka' moment. I realised it was something that no one had seen before." The next task was to speak to the physics department to build their own prototype. Dr Graham Bruce, senior research laboratory manager explains how it works. "It shines light on the book and measures the amount of light which shines back," he says. "It uses green light, which can be seen, and infrared, which can't be seen with our own eyes. The green light flashes when there are no fragments of arsenic present, the red light when there are pigments." The new testing device is smaller and will be less costly to produce and use than a full-scale spectrometer It has already been used to survey the thousands of books in the St Andrews collections and in the National Library of Scotland, and the team hope to share their design with other institutions around the world. "We're lucky as a large institution to have expensive kit, so that we can test 19th Century potentially toxic books," says Dr Jessica Burge, deputy director of library and museums at the University of St Andrews. "But other institutions with big collections may not have those resources, so we wanted to create something which was affordable and easy. It doesn't require a specialist conservator or analysis, and it's instant." It's also a problem which isn't going away. If anything, toxic books will become more harmful as they get older and disintegrate. Identifying them means they can stored in a safe way and still enjoyed with controlled access and precautions such as wearing gloves. "It will continue to be a live issue," says Dr Burge. "But I think that the biggest issue for institutions at the moment is that any book that's got a green cover from the 19th Century is being restricted because they don't know. "And as libraries and museums, that's not really what we're about. We want people to be able to use the books and help bring back access to collections, rather than restricting their use."
Sharjah 24
24-05-2025
- General
- Sharjah 24
Bodour Al Qasimi explores cooperation between Sharjah, Paris
During the visit, both parties agreed to establish new and sustainable avenues for cultural collaboration by developing joint programmes in manuscripts, cultural artefacts, and children's literature. This included potential plans to host 'Sharjah Literary Days' in Paris, a recurring event designed to foster cultural exchange and literary dialogue between Sharjah and the French capital. As a gesture of Sharjah's appreciation for global cultural institutions, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi presented copies of the Historical Corpus of the Arabic Language to both the historic and modern branches of the French National Library in Paris. This act recognised the institution's important role in preserving written heritage and celebrated the collaborative efforts to promote the Arabic language globally. Forging lasting cultural partnerships Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, accompanied by H.E. Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, and a delegation from the Authority, was received by Gilles Pécout, President of the National Library of France, along with Madame Marie de Laubier, Director of Collections, and Jean-François Roseau, Director of International Relations. The delegation toured the Richelieu site, where they were briefed on its principal research facilities, rare collections, and the methods used for the preservation and digitisation of documents and manuscripts, in addition to the advanced services provided to researchers from around the world. Commenting on the visit, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi emphasised that the collaboration represents a significant milestone in Sharjah's ongoing efforts to forge lasting cultural partnerships with leading global knowledge institutions. She said: 'In Sharjah, we believe that libraries are not simply repositories of books, but vibrant spaces for cultural engagement serving as a bridge that connects humanity's memory with the future. We are dedicated to advancing innovative projects that extend the global presence of Arab culture and strengthen Sharjah's position as a conduit between East and West.' She continued: 'The Historical Corpus of the Arabic Language embodies a message of cultural dialogue conveyed through our language. Presenting it to the National Library of France is an open invitation to civilisational exchange. We hold this revered institution in high regard for its integral role in safeguarding written heritage, and we are confident that our collaboration will open new avenues in areas that resonate with the core of human cultural identity.' Collaboration and cultural exchange During the visit, the two sides identified several key areas of potential collaboration, including the organisation of joint exhibitions, both online and on-ground. A central element of this initiative will be the reciprocal loan of rare manuscripts and historical documents, which will be exhibited in both Sharjah and Paris. These exhibitions aim to offer audiences a unique opportunity to engage with a rich and diverse human heritage while deepening the cultural dialogue between Arab and French societies through the shared legacy of books and archival materials. They also agreed to collaborate in children's literature and promote reading in the mother tongue among younger generations. This includes developing specialised programmes to increase the visibility of Emirati and Arab content for children and young adults in France, while also expanding the presence of French children's literature in Sharjah and the UAE. The programme will include workshops, field activities, and reciprocal visits. The agreements further encompassed the launch of high-level professional cooperation initiatives between Sharjah Public Libraries and the National Library of France, focusing on exchanging expertise and collaborative efforts to enhance library infrastructure and promote sustainable knowledge integration between the two institutions. The history of the National Library of France As one of the oldest cultural institutions in Europe and the world, with origins that date back to the 14th century, the library was officially established in its modern form in 1537 under King Francis I. At the time he issued a decree mandating that publishers deposit a copy of every publication with the library, positioning it as one of the earliest institutions to adopt the legal deposit system in history. Today, the library holds more than 40 million items, encompassing books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, images, and recordings, and spans all branches of knowledge in numerous languages. It is also recognised globally as a premier resource for researchers and scholars, particularly renowned for its rare holdings, including manuscripts, antiquarian books, and historical documents that chart the evolution of human thought. The library also offers cutting-edge digital research services and annually draws thousands of visitors and academics with its architectural fusion of heritage and innovation. SBA's visit underscores its dedication to forming strategic cultural partnerships with leading global knowledge institutions, which is in line with its mission to foster the publishing sector and promote cultural dialogue on an international scale.
