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Titanium dioxide dust

Fine and ultrafine airborne titanium dioxide particulate generated during manufacture and use of pigments, coatings, plastics, paper, cosmetics, and other products.

Airborne form

dust

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

lung fibrosispulmonary irritationpotential occupational cancer risklung tumors in animal studies

Carcinogenicity

Potential occupational carcinogen — titanium dioxide occupational inhalation exposure as qualified by NIOSH. Classification system: NIOSH, group potential occupational carcinogen.

A classification applies only to the agent and exposure described by the cited source; it is not a personal risk estimate.

Evidence

The NIOSH Pocket Guide lists lung fibrosis and potential occupational carcinogenicity for titanium dioxide and identifies lung tumors in animals as the cancer site.

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Exposure Routes; Symptoms; Target Organs; Cancer Site · 1
Exposure Routes inhalation. Symptoms Lung fibrosis; [potential occupational carcinogen]. Target Organs respiratory system. Cancer Site [in animals: lung tumors].

NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin 63 evaluates carcinogenicity and other adverse effects of fine, ultrafine, and engineered nanoscale titanium dioxide and develops recommended occupational exposure limits.

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page 1 · Abstract · 1
This NIOSH CIB ... reviews the animal and human data relevant to assessing the carcinogenicity and other adverse health effects of TiO₂, provides a quantitative risk assessment ... and recommended occupational exposure limits for fine and ultrafine (including engineered nanoscale) TiO₂.

NIOSH recommends separate exposure limits for fine and ultrafine titanium dioxide and determines that ultrafine titanium dioxide is a potential occupational carcinogen, while available data were insufficient to classify fine titanium dioxide that way.

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page 1 · Executive Summary · 4
NIOSH recommends exposure limits of 2.4 mg/m3 for fine TiO2 and 0.3 mg/m3 for ultrafine (including engineered nanoscale) TiO2... NIOSH has determined that ultrafine TiO2 is a potential occupational carcinogen but that there are insufficient data at this time to classify fine TiO2 as a potential occupational carcinogen.

NIOSH identifies titanium dioxide as a potential occupational carcinogen under its carcinogen policy.

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Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations · 1
NIOSH considers titanium dioxide to be a potential occupational carcinogen as defined by the OSHA carcinogen policy.

The NIOSH/OSHA review reports pigmented dust deposits in animal lungs after titanium dioxide exposure.

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TITANIUM DIOXIDE · 1
A study ... showed pigmented dust deposits in the lungs.

A NIOSH pigment-plant health-hazard evaluation recorded upper-respiratory-tract and eye irritation associated with the evaluated titanium-pigment operation and described long-term operatives exposed to titanium dust.

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page 3 · Summary · 1
also noted upper respiratory tract and eye irritation due to this substance. ... among long-term operatives exposed to titanium dust.

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