Titanium dioxide nanoparticles have also been found in human placentae and in infant meconium, indicating its ability to be transferred from mother to fetus.
Chinese anatase titanium dioxide has become a popular topic in the field of materials science due to its unique properties and wide range of applications. Anatase titanium dioxide is a type of titanium dioxide with the chemical formula TiO2, and is known for its high refractive index, excellent UV resistance, and good photocatalytic activity.
The concern from animal studies is that high amounts of titanium dioxide have increased inflammation and colon tumor formation, said Dr. Johnson-Arbor. A 2021 review, meanwhile, suggested that using titanium dioxide as a food additive weakens the gut lining and worsens the progression of inflammatory bowel disease.
TiO2 NPs appeared to be more toxic to nematode Caenorhabditis elegans than submicron-sized TiO2. At a concentration of 1 mg/l, 7 nm particles affected its fertility and survival rate and were more toxic than 20 nm anatase particles. Similarly, Hu et al. showed that rutile particles (10–20 nm), at concentrations above 1 g/kg soil, can be bio-accumulated in earthworms, where they induce oxidative stress, inhibit the activity of cellulase and induce DNA and mitochondrial damage.
It's also used in sunscreens as a UV filtering ingredient, helping to protect a person's skin by blocking absorption the ultraviolet light that can cause sunburn and cancer.