4. Paper and Textiles

Restraint

Lithopone’s historical significance is further accentuated by the advancements and modifications that followed its inception. The 1874 patent by J.B. Orr, for instance, ushered in a new white pigment—Orr’s Zinc White. This innovation was attained by co-precipitating zinc sulfate and barium sulfide, followed by a calcination process. Further refinements marked the subsequent decades, the most notable being the enhancement of lightfastness achieved in the 1920s by introducing small amounts of cobalt salts before calcination.

Europe

Of the products that include the additive in their labels, Thea Bourianne, senior manager at data consultant Label Insights, told Food Navigator USA in May 2021 that more than 11,000 products in the company's database of U.S. food and beverage products listed titanium dioxide as an ingredient. Non-chocolate candy led those numbers at 32%. Cupcakes and snack cakes made up 14%, followed by cookies at 8%, coated pretzels and trail mix at 7%, baking decorations at 6%, gum and mints at 4% and ice cream at 2%.

In a study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology in 2016, researchers investigated whether titanium dioxide exposure led to an increase in colorectal tumor creation in mice by using a colitis associated cancer model. By measuring tumor progression markers, the researchers found that mice given titanium dioxide experienced enhanced tumor formation in the distal colon.  There was also a decrease of cells that act as a protective barrier in the colon. The researchers wrote: “These results suggest that E171 could worsen pre-existent intestinal diseases.”

Going Public

The gastrointestinal tract is a complex barrier/exchange system, and is the most important route by which macromolecules can enter the body. The main absorption takes place through villi and microvilli of the epithelium of the small and large intestines, which have an overall surface of about 200 m². Already in 1922, it was recognized by Kumagai, that particles can translocate from the lumen of the intestinal tract via aggregation of intestinal lymphatic tissue (Peyer’s patch, containing M-cells (phagocytic enterocytes)). Uptake can also occur via the normal intestinal enterocytes. Solid particles, once in the sub-mucosal tissue, are able to enter both the lymphatic and blood circulation.

This precipitate is not suitable for a pigment until it is filtered, dried, crushed, heated to a high temperature, and quenched in cold water. The second heating in a muffle furnace at 725 C produces crystals of the right optical size.

Conclusion

How to Avoid It

Titanium dioxide is often used as a UV absorber and pigment in cosmetic products, such as foundations, lipsticks, creams, sunscreens and other skin care products. It helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV rays by blocking them, while providing a brightening effect.

Lithopone

Why all of a sudden is there so much interest in the safety of Titanium Dioxide?

Researchers from France and Luxembourg gave E171 (the much more food friendly name for Titanium Dioxide) in Europe and the United States, to lab rats in their drinking water for 100 days.

Of those rats, 40 per cent of the exposed rodents developed “preneoplastic lesions” or precancerous growths. The Titanium Dioxide also inhibited the immune systems of the rats and “accelerated” the growth of the lesions. France’s INRA agricultural research institute, which took part in the study, said in a statement.“These results demonstrate a role in initiating and promoting the early stages of colorectal cancer formation,” though it said no conclusion could be drawn about later phases of cancer, or of any danger to humans……….(not till they test it on us!!)

The results of the study were published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports.

Alterations in gut microbiota

Fig. 6. AOPP measured on samples of MSSA with: A) 0.2 mg/mL P25TiO₂NPs; B) 0.02 mg/mL P25TiO₂NPs; C) 0.2 mg/mL VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs; D) 0.02 mg/mL VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs after 3 h of irradiation (red) and 6 h (blue). SD <1 (error bars too small to be seen) and p < 0.05 between C-D and A-B.

Digestive System Exposure