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# Titanium dioxide nanoparticles damage organs
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/titanium_dioxide_nanoparticles_damage_organs_0825130739/
- Published: 2013-08-25T08:38:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:01:45.000Z
- Description: J. Xu of Ningbo University and colleagues gave mice single IV doses of titanium dioxide nanoparticles up to 1387 mg/kg and saw damage to brain, lung, spleen, liver and kidneys. The highest dose killed some mice within two days; no long-term effects were examined.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Chemical, Food Safety, #vivvo-import

Sunday Aug 25, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study recently published in PLoS One once again confirms that exposure to titanium dioxide, a nanomaterial commonly used in processed foods, dietary supplements, and cosmetics, can pose a health risk.

Inhaled nanoparticles, which can cause lung cancer, are classified as human carcinogens by the World Health Organization. Previous studies have also shown that ingested nanoparticles can enter cells and disrupt DNA. Nanoparticles cause oxidative stress and inflammation, two causes for chronic diseases. 

Recently, medical researchers have been thinking to use titanium dioxide as a drug carrier which would get into the blood stream via a direct IV injection. The safety concern promoted researchers to conduct the study.

J. Xu from Ningbo University in Ningbo, China and colleagues conducted the study and found mice receiving an IV injection of titanium dioxide nanoparticles suffered different degrees of damage in the brain, lung, spleen, liver and kidneys. 

In the study, mice received a single dose of TiO2 NPs (titanium dioxide nanoparticles) at 0, 140, 300, 645, or 1387 mg per kg body weight. Outcomes including mortality, blood biochemistry, hematology, genotoxicity and histopathology were then investigated within 14 days after the treatment. No long term effects were examined though.

As a result, the highest dose of titanium nanoparticles (1387 mg per kg) killed some mice two days after the treatment.

Seven days after the treatment, acute toxicity symptoms such as decreased physical activity and reduced intake of food and water showed up in the rats receiving the highest dose of titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

Also an increase in the white blood cell count was observed in mice receiving 645 mg per kg of titanium dioxide. And the spleen of the mice exposed to titanium dioxide was found bigger while the liver and the kidney were smaller, compared with those of the control mice.

Further, treatment with titanium dioxide nanoparticles could cause different degrees of damage in the brain, lung, spleen, liver and kidneys as biochemical parameters and histological tissue tests indicated. 

The researchers concluded "Intravenous injection of TiO2 NPs at high doses in mice could cause acute toxicity effects in the brain, lung, spleen, liver, and kidney."

The study examined some acute effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The long term effects of the nanomaterial remains to be investigated.

In foods, nanoparticles like titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide can be used in a dose of 2% in a food. Some dietary supplements have discontinued using titanium dioxide, but continued using silica or silicon dioxide. All nanoparticles can pose the same health risk as the toxicity is largely determined by the size of the particles and their surface properties. (jimmy downs)