floor mesh grating

In industrial settings, people can be exposed to titanium dioxide through inhalation. Inhalation exposure to titanium dioxide is exceedingly rare for most people. 

In addition to its aesthetic benefits, lithopone also offers practical advantages for leather suppliers. Due to its low cost and wide availability, lithopone is a cost-effective option for leather manufacturers looking to minimize production expenses without compromising on quality. Its stable chemical properties also make it easy to work with during the manufacturing process, resulting in a smooth and efficient production line.

Following the filtration, the precipitate is washed thoroughly to remove any impurities and excess reagents. This is a crucial step, as thorough washing ensures that no contaminants interfere with the final mass measurement. Once washed, the precipitate is dried in an oven at a controlled temperature to remove moisture, ensuring that the mass recorded reflects only the titanium content.

The European Food Safety Authority updated its safety assessment of the mineral in March 2020, stating that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive. This was due to evidence of potentially harmful effects after consumption of the mineral, which may accumulate in the body over time.

② Plastics: At present, it is the second largest user of titanium dioxide pigments, accounting for about 20% of the total demand for titanium dioxide. The amount of titanium dioxide used in plastic products will vary with the use requirements, generally between 0.5% and 5%. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the production of plastic products in China increased from 57.81 million tons in 2012 to 81.84 million tons in 2019, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.1%. The amount of titanium dioxide increases accordingly.

Titanium dioxide, or TiO2, will be listed on product labels, but companies are not required to list ingredient size or structure. When it is used in sunscreens to block UV light, titanium dioxide is considered an active ingredient, which means the concentration must also be listed.

Additionally, the committee noted that the available data did not provide convincing evidence of genotoxicity for titanium dioxide as a food additive, but recognized the limitations in current methodologies with respect to the testing of poorly soluble particulate materials. Although there were uncertainties in the genotoxicity data, the experts took into account the fact that the additive was not carcinogenic in adequately conducted two-year studies in mice and rats at doses of up to 7,500 mg/kg BW per day for mice, and 2,500 mg/kg BW per day for rats, the highest doses tested. There was also no evidence of reproductive or developmental toxicity in studies in rats at doses up to 1,000 mg/kg BW per day, the highest doses tested.  

In a 2022 study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, scientists wanted to examine the effects of titanium dioxide as a food additive on atherosclerosis in mice. (Atherosclerosis refers to a hardening of the arteries.) Researchers fed mice 40 mg/kg of the food additive every day for 4 months, and found that it not only altered gut microbiota but also led to a significantly increased atherosclerotic lesion area, especially in animals that consumed a high-choline western diet (HCD).

As a food additive, titanium dioxide and its nanoparticles in particular have been associated with DNA damage and cell mutations, which in turn, have potential to cause cancer. When used as a food coloring, it is known as E171.

The California plaintiff is apparently not the only one concerned about titanium dioxide. The European Union recently banned its use citing concerns about serious health consequences.