For a substance that is relatively unknown to the public, it’s amazing how many everyday products TiO2 can be found in. Because of its many varied properties, our skin, cities, cars, homes, food and environment are made brighter, safer, more resilient and cleaner by TiO2. With a legacy of 100 years of safe commercial use, TiO2 is only going to become more vital as our environment faces greater challenges from a growing population.

On absorption of UV light, photo-generated titanium dioxide particles create singlet oxygen, superoxide anions (O2-) and hydroxyl radicals (OH-) that are potent free radicals (1,2). Irradiated particles of titanium dioxide can induce oxidative damage to DNA (2) which can lead to the development of mutant cells and skin cancers (3,4,5,6) and lipid peroxidation of essential functions on the cell membrane (7).

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Titanium dioxide nanoparticles are commonly found in a wide-range of consumer goods, including cosmetics, sunscreens, paints and colorings, ceramics, glass, textiles, construction materials, medicine, food, food packaging, and more. In Europe, cosmetic companies are required to label products that contain nanoparticles. In the U.S., companies are not.