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Assessing Disaster Resilience of Concrete with Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles
Published on: November 14, 2025
Neurotoxicity and mechanism of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles
Shouying Cao1, Meng Tang2, Changcun Bai3
1School of Pharmacy, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Evolution and Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu 233000, PR China.
Abstract:
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) are widely used, raising concerns about neurotoxicity. This review summarizes their pathways into the central nervous system, brain distribution, and neurotoxic mechanisms. Evidence indicates TiO₂ NPs may reach the brain via the blood-brain barrier, olfactory nerve pathways, and systemic circulation. While titanium is detected in regions like the hippocampus, cortex, and cerebellum, total Ti measurements do not confirm intact nanoparticle translocation. Mechanisms primarily involve oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotransmitter disruption, and protein aggregation, modulated by particle size, phase, coating, and exposure route. Crystal-phase effects are highly cell-type-specific, precluding a fixed anatase/rutile toxicity ranking, and mixed-phase materials may show enhanced photocatalytic ROS generation under specific conditions. We also address current research limitations and risk assessment challenges to support the safe application of TiO₂ NPs.
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