Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine
Titanium dioxide, TiO2, is a naturally occurring, versatile mineral that is used in numerous everyday products. Many TiO2 dusts have been classified as toxicologically inert.
TiO2 is widely used in a range of products including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics and coatings. The routes of exposure relevant to manufacturers and users are primarily inhalation and secondarily skin contact and oral ingestion.
Different forms or grades of TiO2 exist depending on the crystallinity, shape and size of the particles and any surface coating or treatment. Against this background, TiO2 is currently undergoing an EU REACH Regulation substance evaluation under the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Community Rolling Action Plan. As part of its evaluation, ECHA has mandated additional toxicity testing of a variety of TiO2 grades.
Fraunhofer researchers are investigating 13 TiO2 dusts in a screening procedure to characterize the comprehensive spectrum of their effects after exposure of the lungs.
As an indicator of a potential genotoxic effect, the researchers are using the comet assay, a diagnostic test for DNA damage. The results of these studies will provide further safety data regarding the use of TiO2.
