Genotoxicity refers to the ability of a chemical substance to damage DNA , the genetic material of cells. As genotoxicity may lead to carcinogenic effects, it is essential to assess the potential genotoxic effect of a substance to conclude on its safety.
The application of lithopone in building materials industry can not only be used as water-soluble coatings for interior and exterior walls of buildings, but also as fillers for wallpaper, floor paint, dining table and other plastic all ceramic veneers.
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.