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Titanium Dioxide (Total Dust) Chemical Sampling Information
Titanium Dioxide (Total Dust)

General Description
    Synonyms: Anatase; Brookite; Rutile; Titanium oxide; Titanium peroxide

    OSHA IMIS Code Number: 2440

    Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 13463-67-7

    NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: XR2275000

    NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Titanium Dioxide: chemical description, physical properties, potentially hazardous incompatibilities, and more
Exposure Limits
    OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for General Industry: 29 CFR 1910.1000 Z-1 Table -- 15 mg/m3 TWA

    OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 15 mg/m3 TWA

    American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 10 mg/m3 TWA; Appendix A4 - Not Classifiable as a Human Carcinogen

    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): Appendix A - NIOSH Potential Occupational Carcinogens
Health Factors
    NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 5,000 mg/m3

    Potential symptom: Slight lung fibrosis; (carcinogenic in rats)

    Health Effect: Nuisance particulate-Accumulation in lungs (HE19)

    Affected organ: Respiratory system

    Notes:
    1. One of the 20 occupational fatalities reported to poison control centers in 2001 was attributed to titanium dioxide inhalation.
    2. A recent epidemiological study found no increase in risk for lung cancer (or any other specific cause of death) among titanium dioxide manufacturing workers.
    Date Last Revised: 07/24/2003

    Literature Basis:
    • (IDLH, target organ)
      NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Titanium Dioxide.
    • (fatality)
      Litovitz, T.L., et al.: 2001 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 20(5): 391-452, 2002.
      Fryzek, J.P., et al.: A cohort mortality study among titanium dioxide manufacturing workers in the United States. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 45(4): 400-409, 2003.
Monitoring Methods used by OSHA
    Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method:

    • sampling media: tared 37-mm diameter low-ash polyvinyl chloride filter
      maximum volume: 480 Liters   maximum flow rate: 2.0 L/min
      current analytical method: Gravimetric
      method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA PV2121)
      method classification: Partially Validated
      note: OSHA personnel can obtain tared sampling media from SLTC.
      note: If the net weight of the sample yields a concentration below the standard for the substance, SLTC will perform no further work on that sample. If the net weight corresponds to an amount greater than the standard, the sample may be analyzed for the appropriate element and the result reported as the substance.
      current elemental analysis method: Atomic Absorbtion Spectroscopy; AAS
      method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA ID-121)
      method classification: Fully Validated
      note: An elemental analysis is performed for total titanium and reported as the compound.
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  Chemical Sampling Information:
  Titanium Dioxide (Total Dust)
  General Description
  Exposure Limits
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Page last updated: 02/07/2007
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