Biodegradable non-toxic ink

[New England Jazz 4343]

Has anyone heard of, or used biodegradable non-toxic ink? Any ideas?

[Ondina]

The name is Herbin and they are the oldest ink makers.....Herbin

 

Edited to add that I think we should ask the admins to move this post to Inky thoughts...

Edited December 12, 2008 by Ondina

[Johnny Appleseed]

I have heard that Herbin ink is made from vegitable dyes and is so non-toxic it is drinkable.

 

However, I have never seen any verified toxicity data to back that up. I would like to see some data.

 

Note that most inks do not pose any risk of accute toxicity. We had that question come up a few times, and the data we could find from a major international poison-control reporting organization was that fountain pen ink did not pose a threat of accute toxicity if taken internally, though they may cause nausea. (I will have to look up that thread for specifics). I was able to find MSDS data for three brands (Pelikan, Parker Quink and Penman, and Sheaffer Skrip) and none posed any significant health hazard, though the Parker sheet listed a few potentially hazardous ingredients (but they listed as non-hazardous in the concentration found in ink).

 

However I have no data on potential long-term hazards, and don't know about bio-degradable. I would assume the dyes are pretty bio-degradable, but I have no data. I would guess that the Noodlers "bulletproof" inks would not be bio-degradable, at least in the sense that the dye particles would not biodegrade (they are supposed to withstand bleach, ammonia, UV light, etc. etc. without budging from the paper, so I doubt it would biodegrade).

 

John

Edited December 12, 2008 by Johnny Appleseed

[RevAaron]

Noodler's dyes may well be biodegradable- it isn't that there aren't chemicals which can destroy words written with bulletproof ink, there are. They just happen to also destroy the paper. For all intents and purposes, you cannot separate a bulletproof dye from cellulose, but the cellulose-dye complex can undergo degredation.

 

Cellulose itself doesn't fall apart under UV, bleach, ammonia, etc under the conditions we all test under, but it is still very much biodegradable.

 

I have heard that Herbin ink is made from vegitable dyes and is so non-toxic it is drinkable.

 

I would point out that being made with vegetable dyes has nothing to do with whether or not it is toxic. I think you know that, but the OP and others might not. Natural compounds like ricin and botulinum neurotoxins are quite toxic, regardless of how organic, natural and "chemical-free" they are.

 

OP: If you want an ink that will fall apart easily with the ravages of weak, indirect light buy some Quink. If you are going for the in-touch-with-Nature thing, go Herbin all the day- they have a lot of natural-things inspired colors as well. Good ink.

 

In the end, there aren't inks that will be toxic in any appreciable dose. If you're extra scared, avoid inks with phenol in them- which is mostly vintage ink, so there's no need to be scared.

[Ernst Bitterman]

I'd lean towards Herbin as the safe kid on the block. Always keeping in mind that one can drink enough WATER to reach an effective toxicity....

Edited December 12, 2008 by Ernst Bitterman

[psfred]

Beet or berry juice.

 

Peter

[Ernst Bitterman]

Beet or berry juice.

 

Just what we've been suggesting-- Herbin.