- In the pharmaceutical industry, colloidal silicon dioxide is used as an excipient in tablet formulations. It helps to improve the compressibility of the tablet mixture and ensure uniform drug distribution. Its high surface area and adsorption capacity make it an ideal ingredient for oral solid dosage forms.
≥99.0
- Furthermore, Cristal Global, a Saudi-based titanium dioxide manufacturer, also supplies food-grade anatase TiO2. Their product range, including Tiona series, is globally recognized for its high brightness and excellent dispersion properties, making it suitable for diverse food applications.
According to the EFSA's Expert Panel on Food Additives and Flavorings 2021 opinion regarding titanium dioxide, it could not rule out a concern for genotoxicity from ingestion of the material based on a perceived gap in data on this risk, which serves as the basis for current ban, said a March report on the decision.
In conclusion, titanium IV oxide is a versatile compound that is used in a wide range of industries. From sunscreen to paints to food coloring to pharmaceuticals, titanium dioxide plays a vital role in many products. Its unique properties, such as UV protection, brightness, and stability, make it an essential ingredient in various applications. As technology continues to advance, titanium IV oxide will likely continue to play a key role in the manufacturing of innovative products.
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.”
A legal additive in the United States, titanium dioxide is used in everything from food to consumer goods and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says regulated use of the product as a color additive in food is safe within certain restrictions.

In food, titanium dioxide is often used as an artificial color additive. Tasha Stoiber, senior scientist at the consumer health nonprofit Environmental Working Group, says titanium dioxide can generally be thought of as a paint primer – it often goes on a hard-shelled candy like Skittles before the color is added to give it a uniform shine.
Avoiding exposure
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.
The neuromorphic nature of the resistive switching in TiO2 memristors has triggered a series of studies addressing their functional coupling with living biological systems. The common features of the electroconductive behavior of memristive and biological neural networks have been revised in terms of physical, mathematical, and stochastic models (Chua, 2013; Feali and Ahmadi, 2016). The memristive electronics was shown to support important synaptic functions such as spike timing-dependent plasticity (Jo et al., 2010; Pickett et al., 2013). Recently, a memristive simulation of important biological synaptic functions such as non-linear transmission characteristics, short-/long-term plasticity, and paired-pulse facilitation has been reported for hybrid organic–inorganic memristors using Ti-based maleic acid/TiO2 ultrathin films (Liu et al., 2020). In relation to this, functionalized TiO2 memristive systems may be in competition with the new generation of two-dimensional memristive materials such as WSe2 (Zhu et al., 2018), MoS2 (Li et al., 2018), MoS2/graphene (Kalita et al., 2019), and other systems (Zhang et al., 2019a) with ionic coupling, ionic modulation effects, or other synapse-mimicking functionalities. Furthermore, the biomimetic fabrication of TiO2 (Seisenbaeva et al., 2010; Vijayan and Puglia, 2019; Kumar et al., 2020) opens up new horizons for its versatile microstructural patterning and functionalizations.
Titanium dioxide, or TiO2, sometimes referred to as E171, is an inorganic, solid substance used in a wide range of consumer goods including cosmetics, paint, plastic and food, according to the American Chemistry Council.
No acute effects of nano-sized TiO2 were observed in Danio rerio (zebrafish) embryos. Exposure of rainbow trout to TiO2 NPs triggered lipid peroxidation, influence on the respiratory tract, disturbance in the metabolism of Cu and Zn, induction of intestinal erosion and accumulation in kidney tissue. Linhua et al. exposed juvenile carp to 100 and 200 mg/ml of particles and TiO2 observed no mortality. However, the fish suffered from oxidative stress and pathological changes in gill and liver. In the infaunal species Arenicola marina, exposure to TiO2 NPs in sediment caused sub-lethal effects including decrease in casting rate and increase in cellular and DNA damage. Aggregated particles were visible in the lumen of the gut, but no uptake through the gut or the skin was observed.
Zinc Oxide

One of the primary advantages of lithopone is its excellent thermal stability. It performs well under high-temperature conditions, which is essential for paints that will be exposed to extreme weather. Lithopone’s resistance to UV radiation helps maintain the brightness and color integrity of paints, making it a preferred choice for outdoor applications. As a result, many suppliers are focusing on providing lithopone that meets the specific needs of manufacturers in the architectural, automotive, and industrial paint sectors.
The availability of other white pigments poses a major challenge for the Lithopone market during the forecast period. Other alternatives to Lithopone include Zinc White, Titanium Dioxide, Calcium Carbonate, Blanc Fixe, and Barytes. The use of TiO2 has reduced the commercial significance of the Lithopone in the pigments industry.


The inception and evolution of lithopone can be traced back through various industries and diverse applications. Revered for its robust hiding power, this white pigment, also called sulfide of zinc white, has been an invaluable asset to industries requiring a durable and reliable white pigment. Lithopone was an economical and functional solution as an alternative to lead carbonate, which is prone to change, and zinc oxide, known for its brittleness.