In 2019, EFSA published a statement on the review of the risk related to the exposure to food additive titanium dioxide (E171) performed by the French Agency for Food, Environment and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES). In its statement, EFSA highlighted that the ANSES opinion reiterated the uncertainties and data gaps previously identified by EFSA and did not present findings that invalidated the Authority’s previous conclusions on the safety of titanium dioxide.
In recent years, there has been growing interest in the development of novel applications for Chinese anatase titanium dioxide, such as in the field of energy storage and conversion. For example, it has been investigated as a potential electrode material for lithium-ion batteries, due to its high conductivity and stability. Furthermore, its photocatalytic activity has been explored for use in dye-sensitized solar cells, where it can help to improve the efficiency of solar energy conversion.
No acute effects of nano-sized TiO2 were observed in Danio rerio (zebrafish) embryos. Exposure of rainbow trout to TiO2 NPs triggered lipid peroxidation, influence on the respiratory tract, disturbance in the metabolism of Cu and Zn, induction of intestinal erosion and accumulation in kidney tissue. Linhua et al. exposed juvenile carp to 100 and 200 mg/ml of particles and TiO2 observed no mortality. However, the fish suffered from oxidative stress and pathological changes in gill and liver. In the infaunal species Arenicola marina, exposure to TiO2 NPs in sediment caused sub-lethal effects including decrease in casting rate and increase in cellular and DNA damage. Aggregated particles were visible in the lumen of the gut, but no uptake through the gut or the skin was observed.