Likewise, the plastics industry relies heavily on titanium dioxide to enhance the appearance and durability of plastic products. With the increasing popularity of plastic packaging and consumer goods, the demand for titanium dioxide in this industry is expected to witness steady growth in the coming years. The versatility of titanium dioxide makes it a valuable additive to improve the brightness, opacity and color stability of plastic materials, ensuring improved product performance and consumer satisfaction.

Here it has been shown that functionalization of P25TiO2NPs with vitamin B2 was able to significantly decrease the oxidative stress produced when they are exposed to sunlight. This finding is of main importance to prevent skin damage and toxicity of sunscreens containing this form of untreated titanium dioxide and should be taken into consideration when updating the regulations mentioned above .

Scientists analyzed research that examined how titanium dioxide nanoparticles interact with the brain for a 2015 review published in Nanoscale Research Letters. The researchers wrote: “Once the TiO2 NPs are translocated into the central nervous system through [certain] pathways, they may accumulate in the brain regions. For their slow elimination rates, those NPs could remain in the brain zones for a long period, and the Ti contents would gradually increase with repeated exposure.” After reviewing dozens of studies, the scientists concluded: “Long-term or chronic exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles could potentially lead to the gradually increased Ti contents in the brain, which may eventually induce impairments on the neurons and glial cells and lead to CNS dysfunction as a consequence.”

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In order to contribute with experimental evidence that could help to achieve a better understanding of the field for future regulation, in the present work, the biocompatibility of commercial P25TiO₂NPs (one type of TiO₂NPs used in sunscreen formulations) and two novel functionalized P25TiO₂NPs were evaluated under solar simulated irradiation. White light, generated by red, blue, and yellow LEDs, together with UV ones, was chosen to simulate the solar spectra. Functionalization of TiO₂NPs was made with antioxidant vitamins in order to prevent the expected photo-initiated ROS production when nanoparticles are exposed to the simulated solar spectra. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and vitamin C were chosen to carry out the functionalization because they are water-soluble, low-cost, and are a constitutive part of biological processes. In addition, it is known that both have the potential to prevent macromolecular oxidation by ROS [23], [24], [25], [26].

According to data released by the China Coatings Industry Association, the total production of China's coatings industry has increased from 12.72 million tons in 2012 to 24.388 million tons in 2019, with a compound annual growth rate of 9.7%. Coatings, as an intermediate commodity, are closely related to downstream consumer markets such as the automotive industry, real estate, infrastructure, and home furnishings.