Titanium dioxide is in hundreds of household products, but its nanoparticle form could conceivably have health effects.

Makeup component, toothpaste ingredient, sunscreens, paints, food dye, environmental cleaner—titanium dioxide has found uses in a wide variety of applications.  There is an equally wide range of applications possible with nanoscale titanium dioxide particles.  Titanium dioxide is known to be environmentally and medically safe, but not so much is known about its nanoparticle form.  To study the environmental and medical effects, the first thing that needs to be done is to develop a standard method for producing dispersed titanium dioxide nanoparticles.  The National Institute of Standards and Technology has developed that standard method.  Even though it deals with one of the most advanced branches of technology—nanotechnology—the heart of the method is the tried and true analytical balance.

For further information visit nvlpubs.nist.gov.

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