NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin 63: Occupational Exposure to Titanium Dioxide

March 2004

NIOSH Docket Number 033

A public meeting was held on February 27, 2006, at the Robert A. Taft Laboratory in Cincinnati, Ohio, as a forum for scientists and representatives of government agencies, industry, labor, and other stakeholders to discuss the document. The draft document, presentations made at the meeting, as well as comments on the document, are available below in PDF format

NIOSH responded to comments from the public and external peer reviewers (response files below) and published a revised final Current Intelligence Bulletin in April 2011.

Peer Review

Title: NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin: Occupational Exposure to Titanium Dioxide

Subject: A comprehensive summary of the health risks from exposure to fine and ultra-fine titanium dioxide (TiO2).

Purpose: To describe the extent and characteristics of workplace exposures and to provide strategies for preventing exposure at the work site (engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and a recommended exposure limit).

Timing of Review: Spring 2006

Primary Disciplines or Expertise Needed for Review: Risk assessment, toxicology, epidemiology, industrial hygiene

Type of Review: Individual

Number of Reviewers: 5

Reviewers Selected by: NIOSH

Public Nominations Requested for Reviewers: No

Opportunities for the Public to Comment: Yes

Peer Reviewers Provided with Public Comments Before Their Review: Yes

Peer Reviewers:

Chao W. Chen
Academic and Professional Credentials: PhD
Organizational Affiliation: Senior Statistician, National Center of Environmental Assessment,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience:
Recommended by: NIOSH

Harvey Clewell
Academic and Professional Credentials:
Organizational Affiliation: Director, Center for Human Health Assessment
Centers for Health Research
Chemical Industry Institute for Toxicology (CIIT)
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience:
Recommended by: NIOSH

Helmut Greim
Academic and Professional Credentials: Prof. Dr. med.
Organizational Affiliation: Institute of Toxicology and Environmental Hygiene
Technical University of Munich
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience:
Recommended by: NIOSH

Franklin E. Mirer
Academic and Professional Credentials: Ph.D., CIH
Organizational Affiliation: Director, Health and Safety Department
International Union – UAW
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Recommended by: NIOSH

Jonathan M. Samet
Academic and Professional Credentials: MD, MS
Organizational Affiliation: Chairman, Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience:
Recommended by: NIOSH

Charge to Peer Reviewers:

The goals of this document are to (1) describe the relevant animal, human and in vitro studies on the health effects of titanium dioxide (TiO2), (2) provide a quantitative risk assessment based on dose-response information from the rat and human lung dosimetry modeling, and (3) describe the rationale NIOSH used in the development of the draft recommended exposure limits (RELs). The charge to the Peer Reviewers is to objectively review the document to determine whether

the hazard identification is a reasonable reflection of the available scientific studies,
the risk assessment and dosimetric modeling represents a reasonable methodology for estimating worker risks from exposure to TiO2, and
the data and analysis used by NIOSH were appropriate for the scientific conclusions that formed the basis of the proposed RELs.

To facilitate review of this Current Intelligence Bulletin, the five questions below should be considered:

Is the hazard identification and discussion of health effects for TiO2 a full and reasonable reflection of the human and animal studies in the scientific literature?
Are the risk assessment and dosimetric modeling methods used in this document appropriate and relevant?
Are the sampling and analysis methods adequate to characterize worker exposure to fine and ultrafine TiO2?
Is the use of particle surface area as a dose metric appropriate for estimating worker risks from inhalation of TiO2?
Are there additional relevant studies or methods that NIOSH should consider in developing its RELs for TiO2?

NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin 63: Occupational Exposure to Titanium Dioxide

March 2004

NIOSH Docket Number 033

Document and Responses to Reviewers’ Comments

Pre-Meeting Information

Meeting Information

Submissions from the Public in Order of Receipt

Peer Review