Titanium dioxide is manufactured in two primary variations. The predominant form, constituting more than 98 percent of the total output, is pigment-grade titanium dioxide. This pigmented form capitalizes on the exceptional light-scattering attributes of titanium dioxide, finding application in contexts demanding white opacity and luminance.

The alternative manifestation of titanium dioxide involves its production as an ultrafine nanomaterial. This variant is opted for when specific attributes like transparency and maximal ultraviolet light absorption are required, such as in cosmetic sunscreens.

The FDA has provided guidance to elucidate the safe utilization of titanium dioxide pigment as a food coloring agent and has affirmed that titanium dioxide can be used safely in cosmetics, even those designed for application around the eye. The FDA also exercises oversight over the safety and efficacy of active ingredients in sunscreens, encompassing nanoscale titanium dioxide.

Pure titanium dioxide exists as a fine, white powder that imparts a brilliant and luminous pigment. For a century, titanium dioxide has found its way into various industrial and consumer goods, spanning paints, coatings, adhesives, paper, plastics, rubber, printing inks, coated textiles, fabrics, ceramics, floor coverings, roofing materials, cosmetics, toothpaste, soap, water treatment agents, pharmaceuticals, food coloring agents, automotive products, sunscreens, and catalysts.

Titanium dioxide is manufactured in two primary forms. The predominant form, constituting more than 98 percent of the total output, is pigment-grade titanium dioxide. This pigmented form capitalizes on titanium dioxide’s remarkable light-scattering attributes, which prove invaluable in applications necessitating white opacity and luminance. The other manifestation of titanium dioxide production is as an ultrafine nanomaterial. This selection is made when distinct attributes such as transparency and maximum absorption of ultraviolet light are requisite, such as in cosmetic sunscreens.

Pigment-grade titanium dioxide finds application in various sectors where elevated opacity and luminosity are prerequisites. In reality, the majority of surfaces, encompassing whites, pastels, and even darker hues, incorporate titanium dioxide. Pigment-grade titanium dioxide is utilized in a spectrum of domains, encompassing:

• Paints and Coatings: Titanium dioxide furnishes opacity and resilience, ensuring paint durability and safeguarding the coated surface.
• Plastics, Adhesives, and Rubber: Titanium dioxide aids in diminishing brittleness, fading, and cracking due to light exposure in plastics and other materials.
• Cosmetics: Pigment-grade titanium dioxide is employed in certain cosmetics to conceal imperfections and enhance skin radiance, enabling thinner makeup coatings to achieve the desired effect.
• Paper: Titanium dioxide is applied as a coating to paper, enhancing its whiteness, luminosity, and opaqueness.
• Food Contact Materials and Ingredients: The opacity to visible and ultraviolet light provided by titanium dioxide safeguards food, beverages, supplements, and pharmaceuticals against untimely deterioration, prolonging product shelf life. Specific classes of high-purity pigment-grade titanium dioxide are also employed in pharmaceutical tablets, capsule coatings, and as a decorative enhancer in some food products.

Ultrafine grades of titanium dioxide are predominantly utilized in the following specialized applications:

• Sunscreen: Nanoscale titanium dioxide achieves transparency to visible light while efficiently absorbing UV light. Due to its minute particle size, nano-titanium dioxide does not reflect visible light but effectively absorbs UV rays, forming a transparent barrier that safeguards the skin against detrimental solar radiation. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the application of sunscreens containing titanium dioxide aids in preventing skin cancer.
• Catalysts: Nanoscale titanium dioxide serves as a support material for catalyst applications, notably in the automotive sector to mitigate harmful exhaust emissions and in power plants to counteract nitrous oxide presence.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has evaluated the safety of titanium dioxide pigment as a color additive in food, drug, and cosmetic contexts. The FDA has issued guidelines clarifying the secure usage of titanium dioxide pigment as a food colorant and affirmed that titanium dioxide can be safely employed in cosmetics, including those for eye-area application. The FDA also oversees the safety and efficacy of active sunscreen ingredients, encompassing nanoscale titanium dioxide. A recent comprehensive report from Health Canada also corroborates the safety of titanium dioxide in food.