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TITANIUM DIOXIDE (sunscreen grade)
Score:
Data: Good
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Enhanced skin absorption, Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low), Occupational hazards (high), and Biochemical or cellular level changes (high)
Cancer 
Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity
Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity
Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
| lipstick | 549 products |
| moisturizer with SPF | 463 products |
| eye shadow | 382 products |
| bronzer/highlighter | 218 products |
| foundation | 184 products |
| beach & sport sunscreen | 180 products |
| lip gloss | 143 products |
| blush | 122 products |
| concealer | 103 products |
| BB cream | 92 products |
| eye liner | 69 products |
| brow liner | 55 products |
| lip liner | 53 products |
| baby sunscreen | 53 products |
| facial powder | 51 products |
| CC cream | 46 products |
| bath oil/salts/soak | 37 products |
| lip balm with SPF | 35 products |
| lip balm | 25 products |
| makeup primer | 23 products |
| serums & essences | 22 products |
| bar soap | 20 products |
| mascara | 19 products |
| other eye makeup | 18 products |
| setting powder/spray | 14 products |
| anti-aging | 13 products |
| facial moisturizer/treatment | 13 products |
| 12 products | |
| body wash/cleanser | 11 products |
| lip plumper | 11 products |
| moisturizer | 11 products |
| mask | 10 products |
| hair color and bleaching | 8 products |
| fragrance for women | 8 products |
| around-eye cream | 7 products |
| nail polish | 5 products |
| exfoliant/scrub | 4 products |
| facial cleanser | 3 products |
| toothpaste | 3 products |
| shaving cream | 1 products |
| mouthwash | 1 products |
| conditioner | 1 products |
| oil controller | 1 products |
| tanning oil | 1 products |
| baby lotion | 1 products |
| body firming lotion | 1 products |
| hair spray | 1 products |
| bubble bath | 1 products |
| body oil | 1 products |
| glitter | 1 products |
| hair styling aide | 1 products |
Enhanced skin absorption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Nano-scale ingredients with potential to absorb into the skin | Nanomaterial Database |
| Suspected nano-scale ingredients with potential to absorb into the skin | Nanomaterial Database |
| No penetration of the outermost layer of skin | {Degussa, 1994} |
Biochemical or cellular level changes
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Produces damaging reactive oxygen species upon in vitro | {Long, 2006} |
| Organ system toxicity after dermal exposure for hairless mouse | Wu J, Liu W, Xue C, Zhou S, Lan F, Bi L, et al 2009. Toxicity and penetration of TiO(2) nanoparticles in hairless mice and porcine skin after subchronic dermal exposure. Toxicol Lett 191(1): 1-8. |
Occupational hazards
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low doses | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| NanoTiO2 (19-21 nm size) induced severe pulmonary emphysema in adult male mice. | Chen HW, Su SF, Chien CT, Lin WH, Yu SL, Chou CC, et al 2006. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles induce emphysema-like lung injury in mice. Faseb J 20(13): 2393-2395. |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Classified as medium human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Nanoscale titanium dioxide particles induced cytotoxicity in human lung cell cultures; the most cytotoxic mineral forms of titanium dioxide generated more reactive oxygen species. | Sayes CM, Wahi R, Kurian PA, Liu Y, West JL, Ausman KD, et al 2006. Correlating nanoscale titania structure with toxicity: a cytotoxicity and inflammatory response study with human dermal fibroblasts and human lung epithelial cells. Toxicol Sci 92(1): 174-85. |
| Associated with any toxicity | EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs |
Cancer
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Limited evidence of carcinogenicity | NIOSH Occupational Carcinogens |
| Limited evidence of carcinogenicity | World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC Monographs Programme on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Lists of Group 1, 2a, and 2b substances can be obtained. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php; Vol 47, 93 ;in prep. |
| Cancer - limited evidence | California EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Prioritization Notices. http://www.oehha.org/prop65/CRNR_notices/state_listing/prioritization_notices/index.html. Chemicals on Candidate List for consideration under Proposition 65 due to high carcinogenicity concern (through March 2004). Chemicals under consideration for listing via the authoritative bodies mechanisms (through July 2004). |
| micronized titanium dixoxide found to mitochondria in human (MSTO-211H) cells | {Brunner, 2006} |
Decreased skin absorption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| No absorption into skin | {Jue-Chen, 1990} |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Mice subacutely exposed to 2-5 nm TiO(2) nanoparticles showed a significant but moderate inflammatory response among animals at week 0, 1, or 2 after exposure that resolved by week 3 postexposure. | Grassian VH, O |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| TiO2 induces goblet cell hyperplasia (GCH) and Muc5ac expression, and this process may be associated with increased production of Interleukin-13 by mast cells. | Ahn MH, Kang CM, Park CS, Park SJ, Rhim T, Yoon PO, Chang HS, Kim SH, Kyono H, Kim KC 2005. Titanium dioxide particle-induced goblet cell hyperplasia: association with mast cells and IL-13. Respir Res. 2005 Apr 13;6:34 |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Nano titanium dioxide and other nanoparticles are generally toxic to aquatic invertebrates at low mg per liter concentrations. | Baun A, Hartmann NB, Grieger K, Kusk KO 2008. Ecotoxicity of engineered nanoparticles to aquatic invertebrates: a brief review and recommendations for future toxicity testing. Ecotoxicology. 2008 Jul;17(5):387-95. Epub 2008 Apr 19. |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Informational
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Color Additives - Exempt from Batch Certification by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration | CTFA International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook |
| Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Color additive approved by FDA for use in cosmetics | FDA Color Additive Status |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Data gaps
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| 10185 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Data Sources
- NanoWerk. 2007. Nanomaterial Database. Available online: http://www.nanowerk.com/phpscripts/n_dbsearch.php
- {Degussa, 1994}
- {Long, 2006}
- Wu J, Liu W, Xue C, Zhou S, Lan F, Bi L, et al 2009. Toxicity and penetration of TiO(2) nanoparticles in hairless mice and porcine skin after subchronic dermal exposure. Toxicol Lett 191(1): 1-8.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
- Chen HW, Su SF, Chien CT, Lin WH, Yu SL, Chou CC, et al 2006. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles induce emphysema-like lung injury in mice. Faseb J 20(13): 2393-2395.
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
- Sayes CM, Wahi R, Kurian PA, Liu Y, West JL, Ausman KD, et al 2006. Correlating nanoscale titania structure with toxicity: a cytotoxicity and inflammatory response study with human dermal fibroblasts and human lung epithelial cells. Toxicol Sci 92(1): 174-85.
- EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule.
- NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). 2006. NIOSH Carcinogens List (Potential occupational carcinogens). http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npotocca.html.
- World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC Monographs Programme on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Lists of Group 1, 2a, and 2b substances can be obtained. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php; Vol 47, 93 ;in prep.
- California EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Prioritization Notices. http://www.oehha.org/prop65/CRNR_notices/state_listing/prioritization_notices/index.html. Chemicals on Candidate List for consideration under Proposition 65 due to high carcinogenicity concern (through March 2004). Chemicals under consideration for listing via the authoritative bodies mechanisms (through July 2004).
- {Brunner, 2006}
- {Jue-Chen, 1990}
- Grassian VH, O
- Ahn MH, Kang CM, Park CS, Park SJ, Rhim T, Yoon PO, Chang HS, Kim SH, Kyono H, Kim KC 2005. Titanium dioxide particle-induced goblet cell hyperplasia: association with mast cells and IL-13. Respir Res. 2005 Apr 13;6:34
- Baun A, Hartmann NB, Grieger K, Kusk KO 2008. Ecotoxicity of engineered nanoparticles to aquatic invertebrates: a brief review and recommendations for future toxicity testing. Ecotoxicology. 2008 Jul;17(5):387-95. Epub 2008 Apr 19.
- CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association). 2006. International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook, 11th Edition. Color Additive Information. Washington, DC.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Color Additive Status List. September 2006.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- This ingredient’s score is higher if used in products that are inhalable (e.g., sprays, powders) because of respiratory concerns.
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