Is Titanium Dioxide safe? How safe is it?

Now that I am working with TiO2, I wanted to know if it was safe and if so, how safe? There are chemicals out there are will kill you in a heartbeat and others that we need to live. There are some where the difference between helping and harming is just the dosage amount. Where does TiO2 fall in this?
WARNING!! I am NOT a doctor and I don't even play one on TV. I am an engineer and understand scientific methodology. I encourage you to do you own research to see what conclusions you come up with.
My end conclusion is that TiO2 is very safe as a general rule. As with any fine particulate, I wouldn't want to breath it in if I could avoid it.
Here are the links I used in my research about TiO2:
FDA:
* www.fda.gov/industry/color-ad...
* www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21...
* www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21...
Michigan State University, Center for Research on Ingredient Safety:
* www.canr.msu.edu/news/titaniu...
National Library of Medicine:
* www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Chemical Safety Facts:
* www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/c...
European food Safety Authority:
* www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/ti...
healthline:
* www.healthline.com/nutrition/...

[@keithlevkoff8579]

A very thorough and concise summary. (I just purchased an XTools F1 and plan to try this when it arrives.) TiO2 seems to be about as safe as you can get - and far safer than the ingredients in things like spray paint. It's also worth noting that, because TiO2 is safe for virtually all food use, it remains safe when exposed to heat. Therefore it is also extremely unlikely to produce any sort of toxic or dangerous fumes when heated or burned. (Again, in contrast with spray paint, and many plastics, which DO produce toxic fumes when burned or vaporized.)

[@CNCATHome]

Congratulations on the new laser! I hope you have fun with it. You are right on the money! This is a big win for tile etching. I would still use good ventilation as anything you are burning with the laser is likely not good for you. ;-)

[@jimmylee6247]

Thanks for this information. I've been thinking about giving it a try but there are those on both sides giving personal opinions. So now I think I'll order some.

[@CNCATHome]

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have been. It works great and from what I have found, it is very safe to use. Opinions are great and all but backing them up with documentation from varying sources is even better. 🙂

[@HugoHugunin]

A *LOT* of white paints have *_Zinc Oxide_* whose fumes, when burned, may cause "Metal Fume Fever". I wonder how much of my breathing issues are exacerbated by the fumes I've been breathing in... I agree that almost *anything* consumed at a nano scale is suspect. How much carbon fiber dust are we breathing in? Under a microscope, I am hard-pressed to see a difference be tween carbon fibers and asbestos... GREAT video! Good information and well-documented.

[@CNCATHome]

Carbon fiber can be very nasty. Carbon nano tubes too. I hadn't thought about the similarities with asbestos. Great Analogy. And we wonder why there are so many people with breathing issues. The nice thing about TiO2 is how safe it is compared with other metals and chemicals.

[@tomaskianicka3343]

I have done a quick research after your last video and was surprised how ubiquitous Titanium Dioxide is, especially as a food colorant. So I bought a bag of TiO2 pigment to test it on the tiles :D

[@CNCATHome]

That is great! I hope if work as well for you as it has for me. I am etching some tiles right now and it is turning out great. My mixture is even thinner and it went on very smooth and evenly using a foam brush.

[@tomaskianicka3343]

@@CNCATHome I just tried spraying 50/50 mixture with alcohol on the test metal piece and I'm really astounded just how well it opaque it is a white paint. I want to test durability of an engraving on a piece of metal if it works there too or not...

[@CNCATHome]

@@tomaskianicka3343 - It is very much like white paint. Very white! Once the alcohol evaporates, the stuff just wipes off. Great to work with. It seem to be very forgiving too.

[@user-iz6zk2jn9j]

I started using a new sunscreen and noticed that my skin had become darker. When I started researching the matter, I discovered that it was titanium deoxide that could cause this effect 🌚💔. I want to cryyyyy

[@CNCATHome]

I would be interested to see the research that you found. From what I have found, TiO2 does not penetrate the skin. It is it's physical ability to reflect light that makes it so good in a sunscreen. If you can find what you found in your research, I would really like to see that as I want to stay up on this. 🙂 Thank you for your comment.

[@prahjister]

Looks like take normal precautions with airborne stuff....and etch with adequate fume extraction.

[@CNCATHome]

You nailed it! :-) Once nice thing about this process is that there is virtually nothing emitted when you are etching and it is much safer than using white paint or cold galvanizing compound. With those, there are other things that do get burned off and are not the best to be breathing. Take the basic, normal precautions and you will be fine. As another bonus, this method seems to be much more forgiving and the end results are better.

[@cornishman1954]

Micron size Titanium Dioxide for medical/food grade, food pigment Titanium Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide TIO2 powder for making paint products. It looks like you have to pick the right one I guess

[@maxbruhm2932]

Hair loss medicine like finasteride dutasteride contains Titanium dioxide and many people's are taking it for long term, is it safe to take for Life time?

[@CNCATHome]

I am not a doctor so take this with a grain of salt. From what I have found, Titanium dioxide has been regulated in the US for over 60 years. It is found in all sorts of food and drug items that we ingest. From what I see, in these forms, it is not an issue to continually consume TiO2 in these small amounts. As a metal, human bodies tend to like titanium. This is one reason it is used in the body as plates, rods, and joint replacements. The one thing I found that could be an issue is breathing large quantities of TiO2 in more of a nano-particle form (really small pieces). This would be true for anything in that small size to be constantly brought into your lungs.

[@pblais404]

so wear rubber gloves when you are washing your etched tiles

[@CNCATHome]

That would be a good idea. The research I found indicated that TiO2 did not get into you through skin contact. There is nothing wrong erring on the side of caution and wearing gloves when washing the finished tile. Then you don't have to wash your hands either. ;-) The research I have found shows that TiO2 is very safe to work with. The one questionable thing they still need to study is the breathing in of nanoparticle TiO2 in large quantities over a long period of time. I don't need any research to form an opinion that that is NOT safe for any kind of particles. If there is any hesitation at all about this, I would wear a mask too, just to extra safe.

[@user-cy6yx8ur8n]

It's no longer used in Europe since 2022

[@kevinoconnor566]

Factually incorrect go to a shop in Ireland and still find it on the ingredients list on the back

[@user-cy6yx8ur8n]

@@kevinoconnor566 It is applied as food coloring and a whitening agent to a wide variety of foods, including chewing gum, cakes, candies, breads and ice cream. Because of health risks, France banned titanium dioxide as a food additive in 2020. Two years later the European Union also banned titanium dioxide as a food additive.Oct 23, 2023

[@lisaburnham7151]

I just checked the ingredients of my airbrush cake decorating white food color. It is Titanium dioxide and water. Guess it can't be terrible for you .😅

[@CNCATHome]

It is amazing where TiO2 can be found. It makes me wonder if a small airbrush would work well for spraying my TiO2 and DNA mixture? Sounds like an experiment.

[@lisaburnham7151]

I have been using my airbrush with the TiO2 mixed with alcohol. The light mist gives a perfect coverage.

[@CNCATHome]

@@lisaburnham7151 - Funny you should say that. I am editing a new video right now where I use an air brush to apply the TiO2 and, spoiler alert, it worked very well. I need to play with it a little more but that is going to be the ticket to consistent coverage. What ratio of TiO2 to alcohol do you use? I started with something around 1:1 and then thinned it a couple times without keeping track of my ratio. Kind of like how I make pancake mix. I add stuff until I like the thickness. ;-)

[@jeffbeck6501]

Why do they color your food in the first place?

[@CNCATHome]

That is a good question. Likely it is for marketing. If it looks nice and bright, people want to buy it. In sunscreen, it utilizes the reflective properties of the TiO2 so there is a real reason there. As a food coloring, it is very white and would help get the desired color of a product. I did not come across anything that even suggested it had any kind of nutritional value. If you want your paint white, or your toothpaste white, or your paper white, or your glue white....

[@user-cy6yx8ur8n]

It may be in your medicine as well. It's in nicotine gum and so on

[@hapocod50]

In Turkey they put that sh.t to all of that products and its makes me sad

[@jeffbeck6501]

It is safe enough to put in toothpaste and powdered sugar donuts. Just like fluoride, it is not safe.

[@CNCATHome]

With many thing, it is the amount that makes it safe or not safe. I would treat it like any other powder substance. I will avoid breathing it. I will wash my hands when I come in contact with it. I won't be sticking it in my eyes! ;-) I also won't be worried about long term effects. TiO2 has been used and regulated for almost 60 years and deemed safe by the FDA. That doesn't mean I am going to start eating or snorting the stuff. The information I found does set the stage for this to be a much safer method for tile etching than other methods. Thank you for your input!

[@SixStarStudios]

cookie 🍪 anyone

[@improviseadaptovercome5651]

Omg i just ate ice cream with this stuff in it... I was finnished and i read the back and it said titanuim dioxide.. I forgot to read the ingredients and it was already too late... Ahhhhhhh >

[@CNCATHome]

That is funny. It is everywhere! TiO2 has been used as a food coloring for over 60 years. I was surprised at all of the places it is used. It is VERY white and I am sure that is why it is used. That and its compatibility with our systems. The FDA says it is safe in quantities up to 1%, by weight, of your food. I saw it listed on my toothpaste. Because it is so white, that mechanical property is why they use it in many sun screens. It is great at reflecting.

[@user-cy6yx8ur8n]

Get me sick, then put it in my meds