2. Zinc Oxide Zinc oxide is a white colored inorganic compound which is insoluble in water but is highly soluble in acid or alkaline solutions. It does not occur naturally instead, it is created when zinc is chemically heated and combined with oxygen molecules. There are two possible structural forms of zinc oxide: hexagonal and cubic. Hexagonal crystals are commonly found in nature. With the advent of nanotechnology, nano-engineered Zinc oxide is commercially used in various cosmetic products because it has good transparency and refractive index properties. Nano formulated zinc oxide is estimated to have a worldwide production of 550 tons per year, and a substantial percentage is found in cosmetics comprising about 70% primarily because of its higher solubility in comparison with its bulk version (Hillegass J.M …show more content…
Surface area is an important physical parameter which determines the extent of developed toxicity. Notably, the particular the size of the nanoparticle is directly correlated to its particle surface area (Ho, Meng et al.,2011). With the reduction in the size of nano zinc oxide, there is an increase in the surface area and this directly impacts the nanotoxicological behavior of the nanoparticle. iv. Concentration-dependent toxicity Various experimental studies have established the concentration-response relationships of zinc oxide nanoparticles. ZnO Nanoparticles pose limited risk to consumers when they are present at a 25% concentration.However, an increase in the concentration of nanoparticles present in cosmetics proves to be highly dangerous. Few studies have shown concentration-dependent genotoxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles in human lymphocytes. Additionally, significant changes were detected in the systemic response post inhalation of concentration-dependent zinc oxide nanoparticles (Monsé C, et al.,2018). v. Particle coating-dependent