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Occupational Health & Safety (Expert Forum)
Toxicity of Paint Compounds - Titanium Dioxide
Answered by
Philip Parks, MD - Occupational Safety, Occupational Health, Travel Medicine, Environmental Health
Harvard School of Public Health
Boston - MA
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Toxicity of Paint Compounds - Titanium Dioxide
by greenengineer, Apr 20, 2008 11:30AM
Hello Dr. Parks,
Thank you for your offer to provide more advice on the other chemicals in the latex paints I have been using lately. I noticed that there are other chemicals in the paints I was using such as:
Titanium Dioxide (20 - 30%),
Nepheline Syenite (10 - 30 by weight) (potential carcinogen),
Polymer Proprietary (10 - 30 by weight),
2-ethylhexyl benzoate (1 - 5 by weight),
Hydrated aluminum-magnesium silicate (0.1 - 1 by weight) as well as formaldehyde (0.1 %) (potential carcinogen).
The thing that concerns me is that some of these compounds are listed as carcinogens (or potential carcinogens) so why are they being used? Can't the paint companies devise new, safer compounds for us to use? I am also concerned because I am an engineer and am aware of many chemical hazards (but it is still difficult for me to always interpret the health implications), however it is difficult for most people to interpret MSDS sheets and understand how to use such a product safely in a normal, everyday working environment where people paint.
I am a big proponent of healthy and green products and hope these will de developed soon.....
Thank you again,
Greenengineer
Thank you for your offer to provide more advice on the other chemicals in the latex paints I have been using lately. I noticed that there are other chemicals in the paints I was using such as:
Titanium Dioxide (20 - 30%),
Nepheline Syenite (10 - 30 by weight) (potential carcinogen),
Polymer Proprietary (10 - 30 by weight),
2-ethylhexyl benzoate (1 - 5 by weight),
Hydrated aluminum-magnesium silicate (0.1 - 1 by weight) as well as formaldehyde (0.1 %) (potential carcinogen).
The thing that concerns me is that some of these compounds are listed as carcinogens (or potential carcinogens) so why are they being used? Can't the paint companies devise new, safer compounds for us to use? I am also concerned because I am an engineer and am aware of many chemical hazards (but it is still difficult for me to always interpret the health implications), however it is difficult for most people to interpret MSDS sheets and understand how to use such a product safely in a normal, everyday working environment where people paint.
I am a big proponent of healthy and green products and hope these will de developed soon.....
Thank you again,
Greenengineer
Doctor's Answer
by Philip Parks, MD, Apr 23, 2008 07:03AM
, Apr 23, 2008 07:03AM
To: greenengineer
Dear Greenengineer:
First, as you likely recognize, "green" does not always mean safe or healthy.
Since 1971, more than 900 agents have been evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), of which approximately 400 have been identified as carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic to humans. http://monographs.iarc.fr/
I will try to provide a short answer to your question regarding why are carcinogens and potential carcinogens still being used in many consumer products, manufacturing processes, building materials, etc.
As you mention, ideally we would substitute cancer causing chemicals and substances with substances that are not known to cause cancer. OSHA has established Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) and NIOSH has established Recommended Exposure Limits (RELs). The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), a non-governmental organization (despite its name), has established Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) and Biologic Exposure Indices (BEIs). Wikipedia does a decent job of summarizing the differences of all of these terms.
The bottomline is that no exposure to carcinogens is ideal; however, we are exposed to carcinogens everyday in small amounts. The key with toxicity in most situations is in the dose and duration of an exposure--so, how much and for how long. There are exceptions to this, however.
OSHA promulgates standards for workplace exposure limits that are technologically feasible. These limits may be above the limits that the ACGIH establishes. The ACGIH does not base TLVs on whether TLVs are acheivable from a technologic standpoint. ACGIH's TLVs are based on animal and human scientific toxicologic data.
Many times engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment are recommended when working with potentially harmful or harmful substances.
I hope this is helpful to you.
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/pel/
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0293.html (formaldehyde)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threshold_Limit_Value
http://www.acgih.org/about/history.htm
~•~ Dr. Parks
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
First, as you likely recognize, "green" does not always mean safe or healthy.
Since 1971, more than 900 agents have been evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), of which approximately 400 have been identified as carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic to humans. http://monographs.iarc.fr/
I will try to provide a short answer to your question regarding why are carcinogens and potential carcinogens still being used in many consumer products, manufacturing processes, building materials, etc.
As you mention, ideally we would substitute cancer causing chemicals and substances with substances that are not known to cause cancer. OSHA has established Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) and NIOSH has established Recommended Exposure Limits (RELs). The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), a non-governmental organization (despite its name), has established Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) and Biologic Exposure Indices (BEIs). Wikipedia does a decent job of summarizing the differences of all of these terms.
The bottomline is that no exposure to carcinogens is ideal; however, we are exposed to carcinogens everyday in small amounts. The key with toxicity in most situations is in the dose and duration of an exposure--so, how much and for how long. There are exceptions to this, however.
OSHA promulgates standards for workplace exposure limits that are technologically feasible. These limits may be above the limits that the ACGIH establishes. The ACGIH does not base TLVs on whether TLVs are acheivable from a technologic standpoint. ACGIH's TLVs are based on animal and human scientific toxicologic data.
Many times engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment are recommended when working with potentially harmful or harmful substances.
I hope this is helpful to you.
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/pel/
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0293.html (formaldehyde)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threshold_Limit_Value
http://www.acgih.org/about/history.htm
~•~ Dr. Parks
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
