Cadmium Selenide, Cadmium Sulfide, Cinnabar and Lead Oxide toxicity I have a question about the toxicity of the pigments Cadmium Selenide (Cadmium Red), Cadmium Sulfide (Cadmium Yellow), Mercury Sulfide (Cinnabar or Vermillion) and Lead Oxide (Lead White).

Not long ago the EU banned lead-white pigments from use, even for art. It is now generally impossible to get hold of lead-white oil paint on the internet. However, the cadmium pigments were spared a ban recently. And it is quite easy to find Cinnabar and Vermillion oil paint online even of European production. For example, the dutch company Royal Talens supplies Vermillion paint online, without even warning that it contains mercury: https://www.royaltalens.com/en/catalog/rembrandt-oil-colour/oil-colour-paint-vermillion-311-40ml-tube/

I am not a chemist but my limited knowledge tells me that mercury is a lot more poisonous than lead. How come Cinnabar wasn't banned and what is the relative toxicity of the four pigments I listed, given that they are suspended in oil?

Thank you very much.
I found an answer to my question. Typically oil paint manufacturers will write what pigments are used in their paints. The pigments are classified according to the 'color index' or C.I. These pigments may actually have different chemical composition, but nevertheless the color index can be used to search the pigment database here: http://www.artiscreation.com/red.html

For example, PR106 stands for genuine Vermillion, which is true Cinnabar and has a toxicity rating of C according to the table linked above, where A is non-toxic and D is extremely toxic.

Most colors that are marketed as 'cinnabar' are actually composed of various different pigments, most often not actually containing mercury.