Titanium dioxide

Absorption

When male and female rats were fed a diet containing titanium dioxide (100 g/kg) for a period of about 32 days, a significant retention of titanium of 0.06 and 0.11 mg/kg wet weight was found only in the muscles; no retention was observed in the liver, spleen, kidney, bone, plasma, or erythrocytes

Toxicity

Rat - LD50 Intratracheal (>100ug/kg ) Effects: Structural or functional changes in bronchi and trachea. There is inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of titanium dioxide. Cancer in experimental animals: There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of titanium dioxide. Overall evaluation: Titanium dioxide is possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).

Description

Titanium dioxide is derived in its purest form from rutile beach sand. Used as paint pigment for its brilliant whiteness since the early 20th century, titanium dioxide is noted for its ability to withstand color change and its high refractive index. Today, it is widely used in sunblock not only as a pigment, but also for its ability to protect skin against UV light.

Description

Titanium dioxide, TiO2, is a white powder and has the greatest hiding power of all white pigments. It is noncombustible; however, it is a powder and, when suspended in air, may cause a dust explosion if an ignition source is present. It is not listed in the DOT Hazardous Materials Table, and the DOT does not consider it hazardous in transportation. The primary uses are as a white pigment in paints, paper, rubber, and plastics; in cosmetics; in welding rods; and in radioactive decontamination of the skin.

The Uses of Titanium dioxide

Titanium dioxide is an extreme white and bright compound with high index of refraction. In paints it is a white pigment and an opacifying agent.It is in house paints, water paints, lacquers, enamels, paper filling and coating, rubber, plastics, printing ink, synthetic fabrics, floor coverings, and shoe whiteners. Also, it is used in colorants for ceramics and coatings for welding rods. A rutile form of the dioxide is used in synthetic gem stones.

Background

Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium(IV) oxide or titania, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium. It is used as a pigment under the names titanium white, Pigment White 6 (PW6), or CI 77891. It is typically extracted from ilmenite, rutile and anatase.

Indications

Titanium dioxide is used in most sunscreens to block UVA and UVB rays, similar to zinc oxide.

What are the applications of Application

Titanium(IV) oxide is a bacteriocide commonly used in paint and cosmetics

Metabolism

Rats were intraperitoneal injected with 1.60 g/100 g body wt of TiO(2) in saline solution. Organs (liver, spleen, lung) were processed for histological evaluation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were evaluated using the nitroblue tetrazolium test and quantitative evaluation by digital image analysis. The histological analysis of organs revealed the presence of titanium in the parenchyma of these organs with no associated tissue damage. Although in lung alveolar macrophages TiO(2) induced a significant rise in ROS generation, it failed to cause tissue alteration. This finding may be attributed to an adaptive response.