Titanium tetrachloride
7550-45-0
Hazard Summary
Environmental exposure to titanium tetrachloride is unlikely because it breaks down rapidly in water.
Titanium tetrachloride is highly irritating to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes in humans. Acute
(short-term) exposure may result in surface skin burns and marked congestion and constriction of various
sections of the upper respiratory tract in humans. Acute exposure may also damage the eyes. Diseases of
the lung (pleural diseases) have been associated with chronic (long-term) occupational exposure of
titanium tetrachloride in titanium metal production workers. Chronic inhalation exposure may result in
upper respiratory tract irritation, chronic bronchitis, cough, bronchoconstriction, wheezing, chemical
pneumonitis, or pulmonary edema in humans. EPA has not classified titanium tetrachloride with respect to
carcinogenicity.
Please Note: The main source of information for this fact sheet is the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry's (ATSDR's) Toxicological Profile for Titanium Tetrachloride. (3)
Uses
•	Titanium tetrachloride is used as an intermediate in the production of titanium metal, titanium dioxide, and
titanium pigments, in the manufacture of iridescent glass and artificial pearls, as a polymerization catalyst,
and to produce smoke screens. (1,3)
•	Titanium tetrachloride was formerly used with potassium bitartrate as mordant in the textile industry and
with dyewoods in dyeing leather. (1,3,4)
Sources and Potential Exposure
•	Occupational exposure to titanium tetrachloride may occur via inhalation or dermal contact during its
manufacture and use. (3)
•	Because titanium tetrachloride rapidly hydrolyzes upon contact with water, it is unlikely to be transported
significant distances in any environmental media. No information is available on the concentration of
titanium tetrachloride in air, water, soil, or food. Exposure of the general population is unlikely. (3)
Assessing Personal Exposure
•	No information was located regarding the measurement of personal exposure to titanium tetrachloride.
Health Hazard Information
Acute Effects:
•	Titanium tetrachloride is highly irritating to the skin, eyes, mucous membranes, and respiratory tract in
humans. Acute exposure may result in surface skin burns, marked congestion of mucous membranes of
the pharynx, vocal cords, and trachea, and stenosis (constriction) of the larynx, trachea, and upper bronchi
in humans. Acute exposure may also damage the cornea. (1,3)
•	A worker accidentally exposed to a high concentration of titanium tetrachloride via inhalation later
developed endobronchial polyps. (1)

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•	Eye injury, including corneal opacity, necrotic keratitis, and conjunctivits, occurred in rats acutely exposed
to titanium tetrachloride vapors. (1,3)
•	Acute animal tests in rats and mice have demonstrated titanium tetrachloride to have high to extreme acute
toxicity via inhalation. (2)
Chronic Effects (Noncancer):
•	Pleural thickening and decreased pulmonary function have been associated with chronic occupational
exposure of titanium tetrachloride in titanium metal production workers. (1,3)
•	Chronic inhalation exposure may result in upper respiratory tract irritation, chronic bronchitis, cough,
bronchoconstriction, wheezing, chemical pneumonitis, or pulmonary edema in humans. (1)
•	Respiratory effects have also been observed in animals chronically exposed to titanium tetrachloride via
inhalation. (3)
•	EPA has not established a Reference Concentration (RfC) or a Reference Dose (RfD) for titanium
tetrachloride.
•	ATSDR has calculated a chronic inhalation minimal risk level (MRL) of 0.0001 milligrams per cubic meter
(mg/m ) based on respiratory effects in rats. The MRL is an estimate of the daily human exposure to a
hazardous substance that is likely to be without appreciable risk of adverse noncancer health effects over a
specified duration of exposure. Exposure to a level above the MRL does not mean that adverse health
effects will occur. The MRL is intended to serve as a screening tool. (3)
Reproductive /Developmental Effects:
¦	No information is available on the reproductive or developmental effects of titanium tetrachloride in
humans or animals.
Cancer Risk:
•	No association between titanium tetrachloride exposure and lung cancer mortality was found in one study
of occupationally exposed workers. (3)
•	No carcinogenic were observed in rats chronically exposed to titanium tetrachloride via inhalation. (3)
•	EPA has not classified titanium tetrachloride with respect to carcinogenicity.
Physical Properties
•	The chemical formula for titanium tetrachloride is TiCI , and its molecular weight is 1 89.73 g/mol. (4)
•	Titanium tetrachloride occurs as a colorless to light yellow liquid that is soluble in cold water and
decomposes in hot water. (1,4)
¦	Titanium tetrachloride has a penetrating acid odor: the odor threshold has not been established. (1,3,4)
•	The vapor pressure of titanium tetrachloride is 1 0.0 mm Hg at 20 °C. (3)
Conversion Factors:
3	3
To convert concentrations in air (at 2 5 °C) from ppm to mg / m : mg/ m = (ppm) x (molecular weight of the
compound)/(24.45). For titanium tetrachloride: 1 ppm = 7.76 mg/m .
Health Data from Inhalation Exposure

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Titanium Tetrachloride
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1000
100
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AIHA ERPG—American Industrial Hygiene Association's emergency response planning guidelines. ERPG 1 is the
maximum airborne concentration below which it is believed nearly all individuals could be exposed up to one hour
without experiencing other than mild transient adverse health effects or perceiving a clearly defined objectionable
odor; ERPG 2 is the maximum airborne concentration below which it is believed nearly all individuals could be
exposed up to one hour without experiencing or developing irreversible or other serious health effects that could
impair their abilities to take protective action.
LC (Lethal Concentration )—A calculated concentration of a chemical in air to which exposure for a specific
50	50
length of time is expected to cause death in 50% of a defined experimental animal population.
LOAEL—Lowest observed adverse effect level.
The health and regulatory values cited in this factsheet were obtained in December 1 999.
a
Health numbers are toxicological numbers from animal testing or risk assessment values developed by EPA.
b
Regulatory numbers are values that have been incorporated in Government regulations, while advisory numbers
are nonregulatory values provided by the Government or other groups as advice. AIHA numbers are advisory.
c
The LOAEL is from the critical study used as the basis for the ATSDR chronic inhalation MRL.
Summary created in April 1 992, updated in January 2000
References
1.	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB, online database).
National Toxicology Information Program, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD. 1 993.
2.	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS,
online database). National Toxicology Information Program, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.
Health numbers"
Regulatory, advisory
numbers'*
LC (rats) 1.400 rng/nm5)
LC (nnicej C100 nrg/rm5)
LOAEL11 (0.1 rng/rm5)
ATSDR chronic MRL
(o.oooi mg/nm5)
AIHA ERPG-1
(20 mtj/n-i3)
AIHA ERPG-1
L (5 nrg'nrj

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1993.
3.	Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Titanium
Tetrachloride. Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, CA. 1 997.
4.	The Merck Index. An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. 1 1 th ed. Ed. S. Budavari. Merck
and Co. Inc., Rahway, NJ. 1 989.
5.	American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). The AIHA 1 998 Emergency Response Planning Guidelines
and Workplace Environmental Exposure Level Guides Handbook. 1 998.

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