Recent policy changes in regard to titanium dioxide

But this is just the tip of the ice berg so many articles & studies are coming out challenging the safety of Titanium Dioxide in our food supply & personal care products.

Fig. 9. Selected images of damaged skin treated with P25TiO₂NPs 10% (left) and healthy skin treated with VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs 10% (right).

What Is Titanium Dioxide?
Titanium dioxide, also called titania, is an odorless white powder and naturally occurring mineral that is widely used as a pigment for its brightness and whitening effects on a variety of materials, such as paint, plastic, paper, cosmetics, sunscreens, toothpastes and foods.
It’s produced through the sulfate or chloride process, which both involve treating titanium ore with sulfuric or hydrochloric acid to produce titanium sulfate or titanium chloride. These materials are then further processed to remove impurities and produce titanium dioxide in its final form.
Food-grade titanium dioxide differs from what’s added to plastics and paints to enhance whiteness. However, there have been concerns about the environmental impact of titanium dioxide production and the potential health risks from exposure to its particles.
Although food-grade titanium dioxide must be 99 percent pure, there’s still a risk of it containing potential contaminants, such as mercury, lead and arsenic. Additionally, inhaling the mineral over time can possibly cause it to build up in your body, leading to adverse effects.
Uses

Because of its unique properties, titanium dioxide is widely used and is well known in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Titanium dioxide was one of the first materials to be used in nanotechnology products. However, the potential toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles is a controversial subject. Many cosmetic companies use titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Because of its bright whiteness, it is used in products such as paints, coatings, papers, inks, toothpaste, face powder, and food colouring.

Because of its unique pigment and fine-milled texture, titanium dioxide has become popular over the past century in a wide variety of different products. These include adhesives, paints, plastics, rubbers, textiles, inks, ceramics, and even some pharmaceuticals, foods, and hygiene products.

In the context of titanium dioxide determination, the process generally begins with the sample preparation, where a known mass of the sample containing TiO2 is dissolved or digested appropriately. The subsequent steps involve adding a precipitating agent, such as ammonium sulfate or sulfuric acid, to the prepared solution, which facilitates the formation of a titanium precipitate. This precipitate is often titanium hydroxide, which is not only insoluble but can be easily filtered out from the liquid phase.

When examining a lithopone pigment pricelist, one might notice that prices can vary significantly between different grades of lithopone. Generally, there are two main types Lithopone 28 and Lithopone 60, with the numbers denoting the percentage of zinc sulfide content. Lithopone 28, with a lower zinc sulfide content, is often more affordable compared to Lithopone 60, which offers superior whiteness and opacity. The choice between these grades depends largely on the specific requirements of the end application.