Ingredient Information

Function

Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium oxide or titania, is a naturally occurring oxide of titanium. When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white or pigment white 6. It is used as a food colorant and occurs in nature in minerals like rutile, anatase and brookite, as well as in two high-pressure forms. The most common source of titanium dioxide is rutile.

Titanium dioxide is used as a pigment because of its brightness and very high refractive index, surpassed by only a few other minerals. Four million tons of titanium dioxide are consumed annually throughout the world. Titanium dioxide comprises 70% of all the pigments used worldwide, and it is a common ingredient used to whiten skimmed milk.

Other Use and Industries

Titanium dioxide is used in sunscreens as a UV absorber. It is also used in manufacturing dielectric mirrors, gemstones like Mystic Fire Topaz and in paints, where it adds opacity. Titanium dioxide is found in plastics, coatings, papers, inks, medicinal pills and tablets, ceramic glazes and in the white lines on tennis courts.

Health Effects

There are reports of possible carcinogenic consequences of humans ingesting titanium dioxide based on high concentrations of pigment dust exposed to mice. This ultra fine dust causes more adverse reactions than coarser particles that are not able to penetrate the skin or bloodstream. No long-term safety studies have been done on human consumption of titanium dioxide. Some consider it unsafe in supplements. Titanium dioxide does not occur naturally in the human food supply.

Origins

Crude titanium dioxide is purified via conversion to titanium tetrachloride in the chloride process. The crude ore is reduced with carbon and then oxidized with chlorine. It is then distilled and re-oxidized in a pure oxygen flame or plasma to produce pure titanium dioxide.