Additionally, the construction sector benefits from MBR9668’s properties. Architectural coatings that incorporate this advanced titanium dioxide ensure enhanced resistance to UV degradation, meaning buildings can maintain their visual appeal and structural integrity longer than those using inferior materials. The superior performance against fungal and algal growth in exterior paints is another advantage, making MBR9668 an attractive option for developers concerned about the maintenance and lifespan of their structures.

Lithopone is manufactured by a process (Fig. 1) in which barium sulfide solution is prepared by reducing barite ore (BaSO ₄) with carbon and leaching the resulting mass.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles may accumulate and cause DNA damage

This TiO2 manufacturer mainly produces R5566, R5567, R5568, R5569 and other series products, which are used in coatings, plastics, papermaking, ink and other fields.

Fig. 8. Selected images of skin stratus treated with P25TiO₂NPs 10% (left) and VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs 10% (right) under light, showing no penetration of the nanoparticles (white arrows) beyond the outer stratum corneum.

For a review published in 2023 in the journal Environmental Pollution, researchers examined E171 as a possible factor promoting obesity-related metabolic disorders. Because gut microbiota play an important role in immune function maintenance and development, and because titanium dioxide as a food additive has been shown to alter gut microbiota, researchers wanted to review “the dysregulations along the gut microbiota-immune system axis after oral TiO2 exposure compared to those reported in obese or diabetic patients, and to highlight potential mechanisms by which foodborne TiO2 nanoparticles may increase the susceptibility to develop obesity-related metabolic disorders.” The study authors discovered recurrent changes in the gut microbiota composition when exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles, with an imbalance of intestinal symbiotic microbiota. These changes and imbalances were also reported and played a role in the development of obesity, the authors wrote. This highlights “foodborne TiO2 nanoparticles as an endocrine disruptor-like chemical promoting obesity-related disorders,” the authors concluded.

It's also worth noting that even prior to the EU decision, France had already outlawed titanium dioxide in food back in January 2020.

Safety[edit]

The surge in demand for interior and exterior paints and use of plastic across various end-use industries drive the global Lithopone market. Lithopone white pigment is used in paints and coating systems that find applications in residential and industrial landscapes. Hence, as the construction & building sector flourishes, the demand for building and architectural materials such as paints and coatings will increase. This trend is conducive for the Lithopone market growth. In addition, white plastic materials are increasingly being used in consumer products. Developments in plastic forming technology is anticipated to indirectly boost plastic production, thus, increasing the demand for white pigments during the forecast period.

However, the run rates improved after the Chinese government's consistent efforts to reduce electricity rationing in China. The demand forecast remained positive during the quarter, with inquiries coming in from both the local and international markets. As a result of the supply-demand mismatch, the FOB Wuhu debate for TiO2 rutile grade was decided at 3097 USD/MT at the end of the quarter.

Production

In a 2022 study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, scientists wanted to examine the effects of titanium dioxide as a food additive on atherosclerosis in mice. (Atherosclerosis refers to a hardening of the arteries.) Researchers fed mice 40 mg/kg of the food additive every day for 4 months, and found that it not only altered gut microbiota but also led to a significantly increased atherosclerotic lesion area, especially in animals that consumed a high-choline western diet (HCD).

Research has shown that, when ingested as a food additive, titanium dioxide and its nanoparticles can impact, alter, and/or damage important protective bacteria in the gut, along with the metabolic pathways of gut bacteria.

Titanium dioxide has also been classified as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which has caused concern about its use in food products. This classification, however, is currently based on limited evidence from animal studies that involved the inhalation of titanium dioxide particles that increased the risk of lung cancer.