Dr. George O. Dwapanyin, Research Fellow in Advanced Optical Imaging at the University of St Andrews, has revealed that some historical books contain hazardous substances such as arsenic, posing potential health risks to librarians, archivists, researchers and individuals who frequently handle them.
He made this known during the fourth edition of ScienceFriday organised by the KNUST Libraries to encourage scientific discussion, research sharing and interdisciplinary collaboration within the university community.
Delivering a lecture titled ‘Drinks, Drugs, and Toxic Books: Recent Adventures in Spectroscopy Sensing’, Dr. Dwapanyin explained that toxic pigments used in the covers and pages of some old books could expose handlers to harmful chemicals through regular physical contact.
According to him, libraries and archives around the world are increasingly becoming aware of the dangers associated with preserving and handling certain historical collections.
“Some of these books contain pigments with arsenic and other toxic compounds. If you are constantly handling them without protection, it can become dangerous over time,” he stated.
To reduce the risks associated with handling such materials, Dr. Dwapanyin disclosed that his research group at the University of St Andrews, in a project led by Dr Graham Bruce and Dr Morgan Facchin, have developed a non-destructive spectroscopic device that enables historic books to be scanned for and analysed for toxicity while minimising physical contact.
He explained that current safety measures for handling toxic books include the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), gloves, masks, and storing hazardous books in glass cases to limit exposure.
“Our goal is to make it possible to study and preserve these books without destroying them and without exposing people to unnecessary risks,” he said.
Dr. Dwapanyin further described how Raman spectroscopy can identify substances through glass, coloured containers and opaque materials without opening or damaging them.
“We are able to see whether it is methanol in a coloured bottle or a clear bottle, and we can detect contaminants as low as half a percent,” he explained.
Beyond the liquor industries, he noted that the technology could also support efforts to combat counterfeit drugs in Ghana and across West Africa, where fake medications continue to pose serious public health threats.
“Ghana and the West African sub-region are viable markets for fake medication. According to World Health Organization reports, many fake anti-malaria medications come into West Africa and parts of Central Africa,” he stated.
He explained that conventional methods of testing medications often require destroying samples before laboratory analysis, making large-scale screening difficult and expensive.
Touching on challenges affecting scientific innovation in Africa, Dr. Dwapanyin noted that the biggest obstacle to deploying advanced technology on the continent is bureaucracy and politics rather than cost or technical limitations.
“The challenge is not necessarily the science or even the cost. The biggest barrier is bureaucracy and politics,” he stressed.
As a long-term solution, Dr. Dwapanyin advocated local manufacturing of key scientific components such as lasers and spectrometers to reduce dependence on imports and make the technology more accessible across Africa.
Speaking at the event, the University Librarian, Dr. Bruce Lamptey, emphasised the importance of science in solving societal challenges and promoting development.
“Today’s gathering reminds us that science is not only about discoveries in laboratories, but also about finding solutions to the challenges facing our communities, our nation, and the world,” he said.
