The production of ROS was studied on white blood cells as a model to screen the effect on eukaryotic cells after being exposed to samples and solar simulated irradiation (according to the level of penetration under the skin). For that purpose, the leukocytes were separated from anticoagulated fresh blood using the Ficoll-Hypaque reactive in a well-known technique [33]. Then, 50 μL of suspensions of P25TiO₂NPs (0.2 mg/mL and 0.02 mg/mL), vitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs (0.2 mg/mL and 0.02 mg/mL) and vitamin B2 (0.2 mg/mL and 0.02 mg/mL) were prepared and mixed with 50 μL of white blood cells suspension. A solution of 3% H₂O₂ was used as positive control and PBS as negative control. Then, the samples were irradiated using the LED panel for 3 and 6 h to simulate the light penetration into the skin. Also, a set of samples was kept in the dark as control. Finally, the ROS were detected through the colorimetric assay employing the nitroblue tetrazolium salt (NBT salt) and the absorbance at 650 nm was measured. The experiment was reproduced twice; the standard deviation was calculated and p-value < 0.05 were considered significant.

Price Dynamics. The Titanium Dioxide price in United States decreased during December 2018 to 2,770 USD per metric ton, which represents a decline of 7% compared to the previous month’s value. On a year-over-year basis, Titanium Dioxide prices in United States remained constant . Meanwhile, in Germany, the average price of Titanium Dioxide amounted to 3,720 USD per metric ton, from 3,460 USD per metric ton one year earlier. On a month-over-month basis, the Titanium Dioxide price in Germany is 11% higher than the price one month before.

Following the filtration, the precipitate is washed thoroughly to remove any impurities and excess reagents. This is a crucial step, as thorough washing ensures that no contaminants interfere with the final mass measurement. Once washed, the precipitate is dried in an oven at a controlled temperature to remove moisture, ensuring that the mass recorded reflects only the titanium content.

But before titanium dioxide is made into sunscreens, it is first micronized. This is a process that takes ingredients that are normally quite heavy (like titanium dioxide) and makes them both stabler and easier to spread. And when micronized, titanium dioxide doesn’t penetrate the skin. That means that you’re getting all the sun protection benefits without the risk of harming yourself.

Fig. 6. AOPP measured on samples of MSSA with: A) 0.2 mg/mL P25TiO₂NPs; B) 0.02 mg/mL P25TiO₂NPs; C) 0.2 mg/mL VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs; D) 0.02 mg/mL VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs after 3 h of irradiation (red) and 6 h (blue). SD <1 (error bars too small to be seen) and p < 0.05 between C-D and A-B.

Titanium dioxide is often used as a UV absorber and pigment in cosmetic products, such as foundations, lipsticks, creams, sunscreens and other skin care products. It helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV rays by blocking them, while providing a brightening effect.

The California plaintiff is apparently not the only one concerned about titanium dioxide. The European Union recently banned its use citing concerns about serious health consequences.

Europe

Mexican researchers sought to evaluate the effects of E171 across a span of conditions in mice, including its influence on behavior, along with the effects on the colon and liver. The research, published in 2020 in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, showed that E171 promoted anxiety and induced adenomas, or noncancerous tumors, in the colon. They also found that E171 heightened goblet cells hypertrophy and hyperplasia, which is typically seen in asthma patients and triggered by smoking or external pollutants and toxins. They also noted mucins overexpression in the mice, which can be linked to cancer cell formation. 

It’s true that titanium dioxide does not rank as high for UVA protection as zinc oxide, it ends up being a small difference (think about it like being 10 years old versus 10 years and 3 months old). This is not easily understood in terms of other factors affecting how sunscreen actives perform (such as the base formula), so many, including some dermatologists, assume that zinc oxide is superior to titanium dioxide for UVA protection. When carefully formulated, titanium dioxide provides excellent UVA protection. Its UVA protection peak is lower than that of zinc oxide, but both continue to provide protection throughout the UVA range for the same amount of time.

Production

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂). Titanium dioxide is the most common white pigment used today. As a pigment, titanium dioxide is unique because it combines both high colouring and high opacifying capacity. This is mainly due to its high refractive index (2.7). Furthermore, titanium dioxide is an excellent UV absorber (it is used in sun protective creams). Some typical properties are: density 3.3-4.25 g/cm³; pH of water suspension 3.5-10.5; particle size 8–300 nm; oil absorption 10–45 g/100 g; specific surface area 7–160 m²/g. Most titanium dioxide is produced from the rutile (TiO₂) or ilmenite (titanate of ferrous iron). Titanium dioxide can be obtained using different processes.

But despite all these cries of alarm, five years on from the original study no further testing into the safety of Titanium Dioxide in our food supply