Titanium dioxide has been used as a bleaching and opacifying agent in porcelain enamels, giving them brightness, hardness, and acid resistance. In modern times it is used in cosmetics, such as in skin care products and sunscreen lotions, with claims that titanium dioxide protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation because of its property to absorb ultraviolet light.
Some dealers quoted prices that were significantly higher than expected, sending the domestic market to an almost three-year high. Meanwhile, a similar scenario was observed in the Indian market, where titanium dioxide prices (rutile grade) for rose by 8% from January to March. The increase was attributed to strong demand from the domestic paints and coatings sector as well as premium cargo from China.
The element titanium and the compound TiO2 are found around the world, linked to other elements such as iron, in several kinds of rock and mineral sands (including a component of some beach sands). Titanium most commonly occurs as the mineral ilmenite (a titanium-iron oxide mineral) and sometimes as the mineral rutile, a form of TiO2. These inert molecular compounds must be separated through a chemical process to create pure TiO2.
Australian researchers examined how titanium dioxide as a food additive affected gut microbiota in mice by orally administering it in drinking water. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition in 2019, found the treatment could “alter the release of bacterial metabolites in vivo and affect the spatial distribution of commensal bacteria in vitro by promoting biofilm formation. We also found reduced expression of the colonic mucin 2 gene, a key component of the intestinal mucus layer, and increased expression of the beta defensin gene, indicating that titanium dioxide significantly impacts gut homeostasis.” The changes were then linked to colonic inflammation, along with a higher expression of inflammatory cytokines, which are signal proteins that help with regulation. The researchers concluded that titanium dioxide “impairs gut homeostasis which may in turn prime the host for disease development.”
On the other hand, titanium dioxide is a synthetic mineral that is produced through a chemical reaction involving the mineral ilmenite or rutile. It is used in industries such as cosmetics, paint, and sunscreen as a whitening agent and pigment. The manufacturing process of titanium dioxide involves extracting the mineral from ores, purifying it through chemical processes, and then grinding it into a fine powder.