The Periodic Table of chemical elements is an arrangement that allows not only to verify the characteristics of the elements, but also to make predictions on how they behave in front of reactions. the elements of the family B of the table are called Transition Elements and are objects of our study of tattoos.
The transition elements have the property of forming colored compounds, due to these characteristics they are used for many purposes such as: manufacturing colored glass and in tattoos.
Tattoos have been around for a few years, but their use has recently intensified. The practice of getting tattooed has already been a victim of prejudice, which linked tattooed people with outlaws. Although discrimination still occurs today, tattoos are seen naturally, especially by the young public.
Tattoos can have several meanings, for example, in some social groups they work as form of non-verbal communication, and serve to identify members of the same group, tribe or society. There is a Japanese mafia known as Yakusa, whose members use tattoos to identify themselves and indicate their loyalty to the group.
There are two types of tattoos:
Temporary: they are known as Henna tattoos, this name comes from the plant from which the pigmentation is removed: Henna lausonia inermes. This plant originates from India and countries in the Middle East, its natural color is brown or rust and has no toxic effect. The risk is in the addition of carbon and substances containing lead and mercury to obtain the black color.
definitive: it is necessary to think a lot before opting for this type of tattoo, which as its name indicates, is definitive. There is only one way to remove it, which is through a laser: a painful process and the end result is not very satisfactory, as a scar is left in place of the tattoo.
The technique used in permanent tattoos consists of introducing into the dermis with the aid of needles, pigments that are retained in the skin cells. The most common pigments and their specific colors are listed below:
Color Pigment
Mercury Sulfide... black
Carbon (coal)... black
Cadmium salts... yellow or red
Chromium salts... Green
Iron salts... brown, pink and yellow
Titanium Oxide... White
Cobalt salts... Blue
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
By Líria Alves
Graduated in Chemistry
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUZA, Líria Alves de. "Tattoos from the chemical point of view"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/quimica/tatuagens-sob-ponto-vista-quimico.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
