The year 2016 had shown a strong rebound of China’s TiO2 business in general, according to market intelligence firm CCM. The market situation in 2015 was quite depressed, while in 2016 huge price rises have benefited the financial performance of China’s manufacturers.

In Europe, the downstream paints and coatings sector presented weak demand in front of the titanium dioxide manufacturers, and thus, the titanium dioxide price trend experienced a gradual decline in its trajectory. Additionally, the pressure of inflation and increasing bank interest rates lowered the spending appetite of consumers which had an adverse effect on the titanium dioxide price trends. Further, the export and import of titanium dioxide were also caught under the negative influence of the poor economic conditions of the market.

if you compare the levels—which went as high as 50,000 milligrams/killigrams per day— to what humans are actually exposed to, we're talking orders of magnitude. It was a huge amount, Norbert Kaminski, PhD, a professor of pharmacology & toxicology and director of the Center for Research on Ingredient Safety at Michigan State University told Health.