Sensitivity to Ink - Aching Fingers

[SenstiveGuy]

My old printer died so I purchased an Epson Artisan 710 that uses the 98 and 99 series ink cartridges. The printer works fine but I have a problem that I did not experience with any previous printer, including the one that just died.

After I print a page and use it immediately, which means touching the ink on the page with my fingers, for the next several hours the joints in my fingers have a slight ache. The ink does not smear on the page, but there is a faint odor indicating the ink is still drying. There is no evidence of any ink on my fingers and washing my hands, as is recommended for ink spills, does not help. I do not seem to have the problem with pages that have dried overnight, although my fingers have never completely stopped aching since I first began to use the printer yesterday.

I have Googled "Epson Printer Ink Toxicity" and found a few sites which indicate that there are no toxicity issues with the ink ingredients, although they do note possilbe sensitities when people get the ink on themselves such as might happen if one opens an ink cartridge. These include eye irritation from getting the ink into one's eyes, skin irritation and possible swelling. I have not spilled any ink on my hands, just rubbed them over freshly printed pages. I do not have any skin irritation, just an ache in the joints of my fingers.

Has any other member suffered from this problem or have any idea what the chemicals are that are causing my symptoms? Will the problem go away after my fingers have gotten used to the Epson ink?

 

[fotofreek]

Here is a link to the list of Epson Cartridges and their MSDS sheets. Click on the ones you use and you will see the components listed in a PDF file. Because the components are proprietory you may not really get enough info to help you.

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/Supportmsdsmain.jsp

 

[stratman]

A most unusual complaint.

You do not mention if you are using OEM Epson ink or an aftrermarket, third-party ink. While liquid ink has some volatility, the amout of ink in a gaseous form would be particularly minute and very difficult to determine how much would cross the epidermal/dermal barrier of your skin. This speculation takes into account that zero liquid ink gets onto your skin, as per your post.

The manufacturers MSDS for the Artisan 700 inks does not discuss your symptoms. (http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=108744&infoType=MSDS) Liquid ink contact with skin may cause redness, swelling and/or irritation. Allergic reaction is "not expected".

Anything is possible, but your symptoms suggest that if the ink is the cause then their is a higher than expected level of absorption through your skin or skin breaks, there is a solvent not accounted for in the MSDS which promotes greater than expected absorption, there is another unrelated substance or issue that synergizes with the ink to cause your symptoms, and/or your symptoms are completely unrelated to the ink itself but exacerbated by the activity. Of course, there could be a number of other reasons, so don't regard this post as the end all of knowledge.

Could the problem stem from the paper you use, the ink cartridge, or even some activity you do prior to printing that makes it seem like the ink is the source?

If this issue is related to you switching to some third-party ink, it could be a hazardous solvent/chemical causing the problem. Good luck finding out about their ink!

My suggestion to you is to stop asking people on the internet and see a physician. Do not delay! Your symptoms are highly unusual, especially if it is related to toxic exposure to ink from such (alledged) low level exposure.

Maybe a primary care physician could help, but a subspecialist like a rheumatologist or occupational medicine doctor might be helpful. A dermatologist might also help, such as with allergic testing. Bringing in a sample of the ink and cartridge might help in determining if the ink is the culprit. Might as well bring in the paper used as well.

It may be impossible to get a diagnosis on the internet. Seek medical help ASAP. In the meantime, stop using the printer (or whatever you think may be causing/adding to the problem) until you figure out what's going on.

 

[SenstiveGuy]

From the number of people who have read my initial message and not commented I presume nobody else has had a similar experience. I would like to thank the two people who took the trouble to respond with information about Epson's MSDS. I had found similar information elsewhere by searching the internet.

To respond to Inkjet Master's questions and concerns. First, I am using OEM ink. The Epson printer came out of the box two days ago. Second, the symptoms are not very severe. I have not printed anything for several hours and my fingers feel almost normal. I suspect the ache I had was due to swelling in the joint. The pain was similar to that when one sprains a finger and it is healing, just not nearly so bad.

My previous printer died because the ink system failed. I attempted to clean it per the manufacturer's instructions and in the process got a ink on my fingers that I did not wash off immediately. Their MSDS sheet says similar things about eye, skin, and breathing irritation; but no swelling. So it may be that I got sensitized from the ink from the first printer and the moist ink on the freshly printed pages from the Epson printer "put me over the top".

I do not think going to a doctor will tell me much I do not already know. I think I will give it a week, and if the problem still persists I will buy a new printer from the first manufacturer even if my experience is that their printers are not that reliable. Another reason I switched was that the Epson ink cartridges are a lot less money. However their cartridges are also a lot smaller, so it is questionable if the ink cost for the Epson printer will be that much less. I have printed somewhere between 100 and 200 pages and the black cartridge is almost empty. Now I know why Epson supplied a second black ink cartridge with the printer.

 

[websnail]

I have to admit to being one of the folks who read and didn't respond because, to be honest, it's often better not to try and give an opinion that's based on wild assed guesswork as that just creates more confusion.

That said, I now have a more acute sensitivity to ink chemicals when breathing through my nose while refilling, or bottling inks... It's stemmed from a particularly unique superglue which had a flexible component. No idea what triggered it but I had a massive reaction like hayfever (red, streaming eyes, snot filled nose, etc...) and now I'm considerably more sensitive to chemicals than previously.

The skin is obviously different but it could be something similar and as stratman said (the IJMaster bit is a rank btw ) I'd still go see a doctor... They may not be able to offer much in the way of direct help but they may point out some relevant instances that factor in.

Anyway... hope that offers some slightly off the wall input.