The Most Poisonous Paints Ever

The Most Poisonous Paints Ever

For centuries, being a painter or paint producer was a serious health hazard. The key to making those vibrant colors pop was often found in the most toxic of pigments. From lead white to arsenic-laced Scheele’s Green, the history of art is littered with poisons that were eagerly embraced by artists in pursuit of the perfect palette.

The Dangers of Lead White

Let’s start with one of the oldest and most common white pigments – lead. Lead has been a popular choice since ancient times because when combined with carbon and oxygen, it creates a bright, long-lasting white. It’s been used in everything from cosmetics to architectural paints.

However, the dangers of lead are well-documented. Lead messes with the body by displacing calcium ions, which are crucial for bone formation and cellular function. The physical symptoms of lead poisoning include:

Kidney problems
Hypertension
Reproductive issues
Learning disabilities (even at low exposure levels)
Delirium, hyperirritability, convulsions, and coma (at high levels)

In fact, lead exposure can even be fatal. That’s why modern painters opt for safer alternatives like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to achieve those bright, clean whites.

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The Toxicity of Cinnabar

Another historically popular pigment with disastrous health effects is cinnabar. This vermilion mineral is made from a combination of mercury and sulfur, and has been used as both a paint and a cosmetic for millennia.

Even the ancient Greeks and Romans who used cinnabar were aware of its toxicity. Mining cinnabar was considered a death sentence, as it was primarily done by enslaved people. When ingested, inhaled, or even touched, the mercury salts in cinnabar can poison the body.

Mercury inhibits certain enzymes and can affect virtually every system in the body. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include:

Immune system damage
Kidney damage
Muscle function impairment
Tremors
Memory loss
Behavior changes
Hallucinations

So the next time you’re trying to capture the perfect sunset or still life, you may want to steer clear of cinnabar red.

The Dangers of Minium Orange

Speaking of toxic oranges, another pigment to watch out for is minium orange. This particular shade is made from lead tetroxide, which means it shares all the same dangers as lead white.

Minium orange was a popular choice for illuminated medieval manuscripts, but the lead-based formula put the health of those painters and scribes at serious risk. From kidney problems to brain damage, lead exposure can wreak havoc on the body.

The Toxicity of School Bus Yellow

Another infamously poisonous paint is the distinctive “National School Bus Glossy Yellow” used on school buses starting in the 1930s. This eye-catching color was chosen to make the buses more visible and encourage drivers to take extra precautions.

However, the original formula for school bus yellow contained a double dose of toxins – lead chromate. We’ve already covered the dangers of lead, but the chromium in this paint is an especially nasty variety known as hexavalent chromium.

Hexavalent chromium is highly reactive, stealing electrons from the molecules in your cells and causing massive damage. Exposure can lead to:

Nose ulcers
Bronchitis
Pneumonia
Lung function issues
Kidney and liver damage
Blood cell damage
Various cancers

Thankfully, modern school buses are painted with much safer, chromium-free automotive paints.

The Arsenic in Scheele’s Green

Another infamously toxic pigment is Scheele’s Green, a vibrant shade of green that was all the rage in Victorian wallpaper. This color was created by combining copper with arsenic, thanks to the discovery of German chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1775.

Arsenic has a similar molecular structure to phosphate, a crucial energy-producing molecule in cells. When arsenic gets swapped in, it essentially cripples the cell’s ability to generate energy. This can lead to a host of health issues, including:

Skin lesions
Increased cancer risk
Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes
Neurological problems like delirium

The factory workers producing Scheele’s Green wallpaper were especially at risk, as they were exposed to high levels of airborne arsenic. While the pigment fell out of favor in the 1870s, it even had a brief second life as an insecticide before being banned entirely.

The Dangers of Manganese Blue

Another modern synthetic pigment with a dark past is manganese blue. This color was used between the 1930s and 1990s to tint the cement at the bottom of swimming pools, as well as in various paints.

Manganese blue is created by heating up barium nitrate and potassium permanganate – both of which are highly toxic. Barium is a heavy metal that can cause vomiting and diarrhea if even a small amount is ingested. And manganese, while essential in small doses, can lead to cardiovascular problems and Parkinson’s-like neurological issues in larger quantities.

The people most at risk were the workers manufacturing the pigment, as they were dealing with dangerous levels of barium and manganese on a regular basis. Thankfully, there are now much safer alternatives for achieving that vibrant blue hue.

The Toxicity of Cobalt Violet

Our final poisonous paint is cobalt violet, which has been in production since 1859. The earliest versions of this pigment contained not only cobalt, but also arsenic – so you’d be dealing with a double whammy of toxicity.

While the arsenic would likely get to you first, cobalt itself is no walk in the park. Our bodies do need a small amount of cobalt as part of vitamin B12, but too much can lead to:

Heart issues
Deafness
Nerve problems
Tinnitus
Thickened blood
Thyroid problems
Vision issues
Neurodegenerative effects similar to Alzheimer’s

Thankfully, modern cobalt violet paints are now made without the added arsenic. But it’s still important to exercise caution, especially in industrial settings where exposure levels may be higher.

Seeking Safer Alternatives

Throughout history, artists and paint producers have often prioritized vibrant, eye-catching colors over safety. The pursuit of the perfect palette has led to the widespread use of highly toxic pigments, putting the health of painters, factory workers, and even the general public at serious risk.

From lead and mercury to arsenic and chromium, these poisonous paints have caused a litany of devastating health effects – everything from brain damage and organ failure to cancer and even death. And while many of the most notorious toxic pigments have been phased out, the legacy of these dangerous colors lives on.

The next time you’re admiring a stunning old masterpiece or browsing the art supply aisle, remember that the beauty of those colors may be hiding a dark secret. Thankfully, modern paint formulas have become much safer, allowing us to create beautiful artwork without the risk of poisoning.