What Are the Dangers of the Element Titanium?

Titanium is a metallic element with an atomic number of 22. Titanium is as strong as steel, but is 45 percent lighter. It is twice as strong as aluminum and only about 60 percent heavier. This strong, light metal is the ninth most abundant elemental substance in the Earth's crust.

Discovery

• In 1791, an English minister, Rev. William Gregor, discovered a mineral near his home. Gregor was intrigued to discover it contained an element with which he was unfamiliar. The name of the mineral Gregor studied is ilmenite, and the element he discovered was called gregorite. In 1793, a German chemist named Martin Heinrich Klaproth independently discovered the element and named it titanium. Klaproth named the substance in homage to the "Titans," the original sons of the Greek gods who were the epitome of strength. In 1797, Klaproth studied ilmenite and verified the mystery substance Gregor had identified was indeed titanium.

Elemental Titanium

• Titanium by itself is considered non-toxic to human beings. Titanium is a strong, light, abundant metal that is non-magnetic and conducts heat well. Due to these properties, titanium is often used in medical appliances, such as hip and knee replacements. In general, the human body has no difficulties with titanium exposure. However, titanium compounds can be dangerous to humans.

Titanium Dioxide

• The most common titanium compound is titanium dioxide, a frequent coloring additive in products, such as toothpaste, paint, cosmetics and medicines. In fact, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, titanium dioxide accounts for 70 percent of all pigments produced throughout the world. In 2006, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified titanium dioxide as a Group 2B carcinogen because it may possibly cause cancer in humans.

Titanium Tetrachloride

• Titanium tetrachloride is a substance used in creating alloys of titanium for medical and other uses. Titanium tetrachloride is irritating to human eyes, lungs, skin, and mucous membranes. Breathing in large amounts of this compound can be extremely damaging to the lungs and may even prove fatal. However, unless one works in an industry using this compound to create other titanium products, the individual is very unlikely to ever be exposed to titanium tetrachloride.