White crystalline powder. It is a mixture of zinc sulfide and barium sulfate. The more zinc sulfide it contains, the stronger the hiding power and the higher the quality. Density 4.136～4.34 g/cm3, insoluble in water. It easily decomposes when exposed to acid to produce hydrogen sulfide gas, but does not work when exposed to hydrogen sulfide and alkaline solutions. It turns into light gray after being exposed to ultraviolet rays in the sun for 6 to 7 hours, but it still returns to its original color when placed in a dark place. It is easy to oxidize in the air and will agglomerate and deteriorate when exposed to moisture.

According to Procurement Resource, the prices of titanium dioxide are expected to showcase mixed sentiments. With trade and supply-chain normalization, the automotive and construction sectors are estimated to improve their global performance, thus affecting the prices positively.

A  2023 study published in the journal Environmental Research, scientists examined the effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on important gut bacteria in mice. Their results showed “the growth inhibitory effects could be associated with cell membrane damage caused by titanium dioxide nanoparticles to the bacterial strains. Metabolomics analysis showed that TiO2 NPs caused alterations in multiple metabolic pathways of gut bacteria, such as tryptophan and arginine metabolism, which were demonstrated to play crucial roles in regulating gut and host health.” The researchers also found that four different neuroprotective metabolites “were significantly reduced” in urine and in vitro bacteria and vivo urine samples. The researchers concluded: “Increasing evidence implies that the gut microbiome plays a profound role in regulating host metabolism. Our results illustrated that TiO2 NPs hindered the growth of four beneficial gut bacterial strains.”

Most notably, a European Food Safety Authority safety assessment published in May 2021 pointed to genotoxicity concerns, as suggested by previous research. Genotoxicity is the ability of chemicals to damage genetic information such as DNA, which may lead to cancer.