Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles

Work by HERCULES Investigators Christine Payne and Melissa Kemp on titanium dioxide nanoparticles was recently featured in the Georgia Tech Research Horizons magazine. These nanoparticles, found in food and personal care items, have generally been considered safe using standard measures of cell health. Payne and Kemp’s research looked at gene expressing enzymes, however, and found small changes in oxidative stress with exposure to TiO₂ nanoparticles that could damage cells.  This research has important implications when considering long term exposure to TiO₂, and suggests that other nanoparticles should be tested for similar effects. You can read more about their work in the Journal of Physical Chemistry C.