Lithopone was discovered in the 1870s by DuPont. It was manufactured by Krebs Pigments and Chemical Company and other companies.^[2] The material came in different seals, which varied in the content of zinc sulfide. Gold seal and Bronze seals contain 40-50% zinc sulfide, offering more hiding power and strength.^[3] Although its popularity peaked around 1920, approximately 223,352 tons were produced in 1990. It is mainly used in paints, putty, and in plastics.^[1]

Lithopone B301, Lithopone B311 powder, brilliant white pigment used in paints, inks, leather, paper, linoleum, and face powder. It was developed in the 1870s as a substitute or supplement for lead carbonate (white lead), to overcome its drawbacks of toxicity, poor weathering, and darkening in atmospheres that contain sulfur compounds. Lithopone B301, Lithopone B311 powder is an insoluble mixture of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide that precipitates upon mixing solutions of barium sulfide and zinc sulfate. The precipitate is recovered by filtration, then calcined (roasted) at temperatures above 600° C (1,112° F). Although Lithopone B301, Lithopone B311 powder has been replaced in many applications by titanium dioxide, it is still widely used in a number of products, such as water paints.

Pendant longtemps on a reproché au lithopone sa mauvaise tenue à l'extérieur, due à la dégradation photolytique du sulfure de zinc et/ou à la présence de traces de chlore, provoquant un noircissement du revêtement. Même si la recherche a permis d'éradiquer en grande partie ce problème, on réserve son emploi dans les peintures intérieures pour les raisons suivantes :

TiO₂ is also used in oral pharmaceutical formulations, and the Pharmaceutical Excipients handbook considers nano-sized TiO₂ a non-irritant and non-toxic excipient. Despite the fact that TiO₂ submicron- and nano-sized particles are widely used as food and pharmaceutical additives, information on their toxicity and distribution upon oral exposure is very limited.