Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 6;19(9):5681. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19095681.
Titanium dioxide, first manufactured a century ago, is significant in industry due to its chemical inertness, low cost, and availability. The white mineral has a wide range of applications in photocatalysis, in the pharmaceutical industry, and in food processing sectors. Its practical uses stem from its dual feature to act as both a semiconductor and light scatterer. Optical performance is therefore of relevance in understanding how titanium dioxide impacts these industries. Recent breakthroughs are summarised herein, focusing on whether restructuring the surface properties of titanium dioxide either enhances or inhibits its reactivity, depending on the required application. Its recent exposure as a potential carcinogen to humans has been linked to controversies around titanium dioxide's toxicity; this is discussed by illustrating discrepancies between experimental protocols of toxicity assays and their results. In all, it is important to review the latest achievements in fast-growing industries where titanium dioxide prevails, while keeping in mind insights into its disputed toxicity.
钛白粉，一种一个世纪前被首次制造的物质，由于其化学惰性、低成本和可用性，在工业中具有重要意义。这种白色矿物在光催化、制药和食品加工领域有着广泛的应用。它的实际用途源于其作为半导体和光散射体的双重特性。因此，光学性能对于理解二氧化钛如何影响这些行业具有重要意义。本文总结了最近的一些突破，重点讨论了根据所需应用，改变二氧化钛表面特性是增强还是抑制其反应性。最近有研究表明，二氧化钛可能对人类具有致癌性，这引发了关于其毒性的争议；本文通过说明毒性检测实验方案及其结果之间的差异，讨论了这一争议。总之，重要的是要回顾在二氧化钛占主导地位的快速发展行业中的最新成果，同时也要关注其有争议的毒性的相关见解。
