105°C volatile matter, %

Professor Thomas Faunce spoke out about the rise in auto-immune diseases & childhood autism in relation to the rise of nano-particles in our child food supply. The full article can be found here.

FDA’s response

The availability of other white pigments poses a major challenge for the Lithopone market during the forecast period. Other alternatives to Lithopone include Zinc White, Titanium Dioxide, Calcium Carbonate, Blanc Fixe, and Barytes. The use of TiO2 has reduced the commercial significance of the Lithopone in the pigments industry.

In a 2016 study published in Scientifica (Cairo), Egyptian researchers examined the effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the organs of mice by orally administering the food additive daily, for five days. The results showed that the exposure produced “mild to moderate changes in the cytoarchitecture of brain tissue in a time dependent manner.” Furthermore, “Comet assay revealed the apoptotic DNA fragmentation, while PCR-SSCP pattern and direct sequencing showed point mutation of Presenilin 1 gene at exon 5, gene linked to inherited forms of Alzheimer’s disease.” The researchers wrote: “From these findings, “the present study concluded that TiO2NPs is genotoxic and mutagenic to brain tissue which in turn might lead to Alzheimer’s disease incidence.”

The R996 grade titanium dioxide from Lomon is particularly well-suited for use in the paint industry due to its superior tinting strength and dispersibility. These properties allow paint manufacturers to achieve vibrant and consistent colors in their products, resulting in high-quality finishes for a variety of applications.

This cytotoxic effect was also reported before; i.e. Natarajan et al. conducted an experiment that found a strong oxidative stress, morphological changes in mitochondria and substantial loss in the fusion of primary hepatocytes exposed to P25TiO₂NPs [52].

Having thus described the origin and uses of the pigment, we now come to the question, what is lithopone? It is, in short, a chemical compound usually consisting of 30.5 per cent zinc sulphide, 1.5 per cent zinc oxide and 68 per cent barium sulphate, but these proportions vary slightly in the different makes. Lithopone of this composition is sold as the highest grade, either as red seal or green seal, as it best suits the idea of the manufacturer. Many manufacturers, especially in Europe, sell and also export other brands under other seals, containing 24, 20, 18 and as little as 12 per cent of zinc sulphide with very small percentages of zinc oxide, the balance being usually barium sulphate, but sometimes certain portions of China clay or gypsum (calcium sulphate) or whiting (calcium carbonate). Such brands are not a chemical compound, but mechanical mixtures of the chemically compounded lithopone and the admixtures referred to.

Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report by Application (Paints and Coatings, Plastics, Printing Inks, Paper and Pulps, Rubber, Leather, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027