Charlene Parsons Chemistry January 29, 2015 Titanium Dioxide 1. What is your ingredient? - Inert earth mineral used as a thickening, whitening, lubricating, and sunscreen ingredient in cosmetics. It protects skin from UVA and UVB radiation and is considered to have no risk of skin irritation because of its gentleness. Titanium dioxide is an excellent sunscreen active for use on sensitive or rosacea-affected skin. It is also great for use around the eyes, as it is highly unlikely to cause stinging in this area. Although titanium dioxide is a natural ingredient, pure titanium dioxide in nature is almost always adulterated with potentially harmful contaminants such as lead and iron. Therefore, titanium dioxide is purified via synthetic processes for use in cosmetics and sunscreens.1
2. How is your ingredient classified in your product? (coloring agent, base, bulking agent, sunscreen or additive) - The FDA has assessed the safety of Titanium Dioxide as a color additive for use in foods, drugs and cosmetics and has issued regulations approving the ingredient for these purposes. FDA has also issued regulations that describe the conditions of use of Titanium Dioxide in sunscreen drug products.2 1 "titanium dioxide - Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary: Cosmetics ..." 2012. 29 Jan. 2015 <http://www.paulaschoice.com/cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary/definition/titanium-dioxide>
3. Draw the general chemical structure for your ingredient. Explain what you are looking at. -
Chemical Formula: TiO2
4. Are there different kinds or varieties of your ingredient? (for example, there are butylparabens, ethyl parabens, methylparabens and propylparabens). If so, please list them and briefly explain their differences and/or similarities. - The three common phases of titanium dioxide are rutile, anatase and brookite. Rutile is the most stable form of titanium dioxide. Anatase and brookite are stable at normal temperatures but slowly convert to rutile upon heating to temperatures above 550 and 750 C, respectively.3
5. What is this ingredient used for in your product? Please be specific.
- Titanium dioxide is typically micronized and coated for use in cosmetic products. The micronizing makes this somewhat heavy-feeling ingredient easier to spread on skin, not to mention making it more cosmetically elegant. Micronized titanium dioxide is also has much greater stability and can provide better sun protection than non-micronized titanium dioxide. Micronized 3 "TiO2: Manufacture of Titanium Dioxide." 2013. 29 Jan. 2015 <http://www.rsc.org/learnchemistry/resource/download/res00001267/cmp00002617/pdf>
titanium dioxide does not penetrate skin so there is no need to be concerned about it getting into your body (well, unless you eat the stuff). Even when titanium dioxide nanoparticles are used, the coatings employed have a larger molecular size that keeps the nanoparticles of titanium dioxide from penetrating beyond the uppermost layers of skin. This means you're getting the ample sun protection titanium dioxide provides without any risk of it causing harm to skin cells. The coating process is done to improve application, enhance sun protection, and also to prevent titanium dioxide from interacting with other ingredients in the presence of sunlight, thus enhancing its stability. It not only makes this ingredient much more pleasant to use for sunscreen, but it improves efficacy and eliminates safety concerns. Common examples of ingredients used to coat titanium dioxide are alumina, dimethicone, glycerin, silica, and trimethoxy capryl silane.4
6. Briefly list and explain the positive aspects of this ingredient.
- Titanium dioxide is the subject of new controversy, yet it is a substance as old as the earth itself. It is one of the top fifty chemicals produced worldwide. It is a white, opaque and naturally- occurring mineral found in two main forms: rutile and anatase. Both forms contain pure titanium dioxide that is bound to impurities. Titanium dioxide is chemically processed to remove these impurities, leaving the pure, white pigment available for use. Titanium dioxide has a variety of uses, as it is odorless and absorbent. This mineral can be found in
many products, ranging from paint to food to cosmetics. In cosmetics, it serves
several purposes. It is a white pigment, an opacifier and a sunscreen. 5
7. Briefly list and explain the negative aspects of this ingredient.
- Titanium dioxide has recently been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as an IARC Group 2B carcinogen ''possibly carcinogen to humans''. Titanium dioxide accounts for 70% of the total production volume of pigments worldwide. It is widely used to provide whiteness and opacity to products such as paints, plastics, papers, inks, foods, and toothpastes. It is also used in cosmetic and skin care products, and it is present in almost every sunblock, where it helps protect the skin from ultraviolet light.6
8. Is your ingredient restricted or prohibited by the FDA? Why or why not?
- The FDA has assessed the safety of Titanium Dioxide as a color additive for use in foods, drugs and cosmetics and has issued regulations approving the ingredient for these purposes.7
9. What is the allowable concentration of your ingredient in your product in order to
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
permissible exposure limit for TiO2 is 15 mg/m3, based on the airborne mass fraction of total TiO2 dust. In 1988, NIOSH recommended that TiO2 be classified as a potential occupational carcinogen and that exposures be controlled as low as feasible. This recommendation was based on the observation of lung tumors (nonmalignant) in a chronic inhalation study in rats at 250 mg/m3 of fine TiO2. 8
10. What is your opinion of this ingredient based on what you have researched? - I am amazed at how this ingredient can be so dangerous, yet have really good effects. I also cant understand why it is still allowed even though there is all this research about how unsafe it is.
8 "Occupational Exposure to Titanium Dioxide - Centers for ..." 2011. 2 Feb. 2015 <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-160/pdfs/2011-160.pdf>
