What is the FDA limit for titanium dioxide?
- The demand for TiO2 has been steadily increasing over the years, driven by the growth in construction, automotive, and cosmetic industries. As a result, there is a growing need for efficient and sustainable methods of producing this vital material.
In terms of manufacturers, there are many companies that produce calcium carbonate and titanium dioxide. Some of the top manufacturers of calcium carbonate include Omya, Imerys, and Minerals Technologies. These companies have large mining operations and production facilities in regions where calcium carbonate is abundant.
calcium carbonate vs titanium dioxide manufacturers
One of lithopone's outstanding characteristics is its exceptional whiteness. The pigment has a brilliant white color that brings vibrancy and brightness to any application. Whether you are producing paints, coatings, plastics, rubber or printing inks, lithopone will ensure that your end product stands out with its unrivaled pure white shade.
BaSO4+C→BaS+4CO
From a stability standpoint, lithopone, a fusion of zinc sulfide and artificially precipitated barite, is non-toxic and exhibits resilience to mild lyes and acids. However, it is incompatible with colors containing copper. Despite its strong covering power in oil, lithopone’s drying capabilities are notably limited, posing potential issues for artists. Notably, early experimentation with lithopone-based grounds instead of zinc white resulted in undesirable darkening, although this blackness receded upon drying. This unpredictable behavior has sparked debate among scientific communities, emphasizing the need for further exploration and understanding of this pigment.
What is an exposure route?
FDA’s response
Thanks to its rheological and optical properties, Lithopone 30% offers both technical and economic advantages in the substitution of titanium dioxide in different applications. Among these advantages, it has been observed that Lithopone 30% has algaecidal properties in paints, which gives greater protection to the coating.
Titanium dioxide can amplify and brighten white opacity because of its exceptional light-scattering properties. In food and drugs, these properties help to define colors clearly and can prevent products from UV degradation.
Fig. 2. SEM micrograph and EDS map of the same area of a vitaminB2@P25TiO2NPs.
Lithopone B301, Lithopone B311 powder’s 2 main components:
Lithopone B301, Lithopone B311 Powder
The US and Canada, however, approve the use of titanium dioxide as a food additive. Canada's recent review of titanium dioxide reconfirmed its safety and pointed out that many of the toxicity studies the EU reviewed were not relevant to the safety of titanium dioxide as a food ingredient, and that the ban is based on an abundance of caution and uncertainty.
2C+O2→2CO2
Porcelain White, 32 per cent sulphide, 68 per cent barium sulphate.
But in the U.S., titanium dioxide is found all over the grocery shelves. Candy like Skittles, Starbursts, and Jell-O, gum like Trident White peppermint gum and Mentos Freshmint Gum, cake products like Duncan Hines Creamy Vanilla Frosting, and Nabisco Chips Ahoy! cookies are just a few of the myriad food items that contain the additive.
But that depends on how titanium dioxide is being used and how you might come into contact with it. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified titanium dioxide as possibly carcinogenic to humans based on studies that showed more lung tumors in rats associated with breathing in titanium dioxide.
In May 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published an opinion that stated that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe when used as a food additive.