Friends of the Earth says the studies indicate that:
• Zinc oxide nanoparticles can kill important brain stem cells in mice and that nano-titanium dioxide injected into pregnant mice produced gene changes.
• Nanosized zinc oxide is toxic to colon cells even in small amounts.
• Autistic disorders, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease have been linked to nano-titanium dioxide.
• The zinc used in nano-sunscreens can penetrate healthy human skin and potentially reach the blood stream and urine of humans.
• Nanoparticles also can cross into human placentas from mothers to unborn fetuses.
“Consumers need to know that manufactured nanoscale zinc and titanium oxides are not the only choice and are not necessarily the most effective or safest choice for sun protection,” the report cautions.
A nanometer is roughly 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, and scientists assemble them by rearranging atoms. When it comes to sunscreen, manufacturers add nanomaterials ostensibly to make sun-blocking ingredients rub on “cosmetically clear” instead of white, the report says.
“These nanomaterials are being added without appropriate labeling or reliable safety information, so the public has no way of making informed purchasing choices,” said Ian Illuminato, a senior health researcher for the group.
