Optimising the performance of titanium dioxide in cosmetics & pigments while being aware of toxicity concerns

Titanium dioxide is a white pigment used in cosmetics, paints, pigments, plastics and various other specialty chemicals. It is preferred over other pigments like zinc oxide because of its ability to give whiteness as well as hiding power or opacity to coatings. Titanium dioxide is however an expensive pigment and hence manufacturers need to carefully optimize it.

In recent years, there has been much discussion from the EU regulators concerning the inhalation of ultra-fine titanium dioxide dust leading to carcinogenic effects. This is in line with recent regulations concerning respirable crystalline silica where the daily exposure limits by NIOSH have been halved. While no finite policy has been reached concerning titanium dioxide, regulators like NIOSH have come forth to provide guidance limiting the inhalation of 0.3 mg/m³ for ultrafine (including engineered nanoscale) TiO₂, as time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations for up to 10 hours per day during a 40-hour work week*.

Indeed more research needs to be conducted to better understand the effects of fine titanium dioxide dust and its implication to employees and end users. This webinar is proudly organised by Malvern Panalytical, DKSH as well as the Philippines Society for Cosmetic Science. During this webinar, our specialists share about available analytical equipment which are utilised for investigating toxicity using prior case studies pertaining to the cosmetic industry. We will also share our solutions used for the optimisation of titanium dioxide pigments. These include particle size monitoring using laser diffraction and dynamic light scattering, controlling the rutile vs anatase phases using X-ray diffraction as well as elemental analysis using X-ray fluorescence. We hope that those in the cosmetics industry, titanium dioxide manufacturers and regulators can pick up application ideas for further research into the performance and implications if any from titanium dioxide dust. 

*Based on information published by NIOSH https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-160/pdfs/2011-160.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB2011160 

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