The main pollutants in newspaper ink are heavy metals, including lead, chromium, cadmium, mercury, etc., all of which can be harmful to the human body. For example, lead not only hinders the formation of human blood cells but can also enter brain tissue through the bloodstream, causing brain damage. When lead accumulates in the human body to a certain extent, symptoms of chronic poisoning such as mental disorders, nightmares, insomnia, and headaches will appear.
In addition, the ink used in newspaper printing often contains toxic organic solvents such as ethanol, isopropanol, toluene, and xylene. Although most of the hazards of these organic solvents will disappear after they dry, the residual portion still poses a potential risk to the human body. If inhaled for a long time, it may affect the central nervous system of the brain, causing great harm to health.
Generally speaking, there are tens of thousands of bacteria and viruses on human hands, and the dye used in newspapers has strong adsorption properties, so viruses can easily remain on the newspaper. The more people who read the newspaper, the more viruses adhere to it. If hands or tableware touch the newspaper while eating, bacteria can be ingested into the stomach.