Originally published on The Nano Newswire
According to this report, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ("NIOSH") has determined that inhalation of nanoscale form titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a potential occupational carcinogen, and has recommended new occupational exposure limits for the material. TiO2 is a crystalline, odorless powder that is used as an anti-caking or whitening agent in a variety of commercial products such as paints, cosmetics, plastics and food. It is used in both fine and nanoscale forms. Although finding insufficient evidence to classify fine TiO2 as a potential occupational carcinogen, NIOSH has published recommended exposure limits (RELs) for both the fine and nanoscale forms. NIOSH believes that nanoscale TiO2 particles have a larger surface area and are thus of greater concern, although precautions should be taken as to both forms of the material. While not constituting a regulatory standard such as OSHA regulations, the NIOSH RELs carry significant weight in that a failure to comply with same, and/or to perform and document monitoring for workplace exposures, might be later used by the plaintiffs' trial bar as an alleged breach of a legal duty of care, and as evidence of insufficient efforts to safeguard workers in a legal or administrative proceeding.
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