Titanium dioxide manufacturers prepare this
multi-useful substance for different purposes. For example, titanium dioxide is
highly-covering light pigment that is used as covering pigment in paints based
on latex and solvents. Titanium dioxide is manufactured substance. It is the
substance that makes toothpaste white and paint non-transparent. Besides,
titanium dioxide manufacturing enables this multi-purpose substance to dissolve
almost every organic substance when exposed to sun or other source of light.
In order to
prevent this harmful effect, besides minimization, majority of manufactures in
titanium dioxide manufacturing additionally coats nano particles of titanium
dioxide. Intention is clear: to insert artificially produced protective barrier
between titanium dioxide and skin cells. Very thin layer of organic or other
mineral ingredient will prevent their contact and disable release of free
radicals into skin (that would happen due to ultraviolet radiation on titanium
dioxide).
Coating also
improves physical and chemical features of nano particles, because it decreases
risk of creation of clusters in protective substance formulation. Coating of
nano particles of titanium dioxide can be organic (such as silicones) or
non-organic (such as aluminum hydroxide).
When titaniumdioxide is used as food coloring, it is marked as E171. It's primary use is
though in paint production, as plastic and ceramic starch, in glass production
as UV light protection, but titanium dioxide uses are variable:
·
cosmetic products: sunblock
creams
·
personal hygiene products:
toothpaste
·
pharmaceutical products: caps,
tablets, vitamins
·
food for humans and for animals
Titanium dioxide
is used as nano material and this used has increased its manufacturing several
times in just the last few years. Consequently, this exposes us to this
substance through its emission into our environment. Nano materials are
materials whose structural components are in size range of 1-100 nm.
Different experimental
approach provided numerous data that enables comparing two samples, and
presenting "topographic" structure of skin in high resolution.
Adhesive tape
samples, both human and pig skin, as well as skin samples examined under TEM,
showed that micronized titanium dioxide was deposited only on the outer layer
of skin and that it doesn't penetrate to deeper skin layers -when it is applied
directly on the skin, as cosmetic product.
Skin creams with
mineral filter are recommended for children over 2 years of age, because their
sensitive skin shouldn’t get in contact with chemicals from regular creams.
Titanium dioxide uses are present in
household paints, oils, cosmetics, rubber, plastics, textile, paper, pills,
ink, and skimmed milk. Titanium dioxide manufacturing that creates nano particles creates
certain dilemmas for its oxidative effect. These nano particles of titanium
dioxide have use in car industry (anti-fogging products) because tiny nano
particles are transparent and don't allow water to collect on surface.
Titanium dioxide uses make for 70% of total
pigment production in the world. Titanium dioxide gives whiteness and
transparency to products, which is the reason why it is used for production of
paints, plastics, paper, printing paints, rubber, food, toothpaste. Titanium
dioxide is also used in cosmetics as it is a must substance for sunblock creams
because it absorbs UV rays and thus protects skin, just as zinc oxide.
Manufacturers of these creams add to them titanium dioxide nano particles,
considering that they use children and sensitive skin. But there is more and
more info about potential health risk of this substance, as well as potential
allergic reactions.