Frontiers in Environmental Science (Dec 2021)
A Novel, Benchmark-Centered, Eco-Impact Rating System for Sunscreens and Sunscreen Formulation Design
Abstract
Ultraviolet (UV) filter compounds are the key constituents in sunscreens that protect human skin from detrimental solar radiation. Some of these products have attracted public attention due to claims of their potential negative impact on the environment, in particular marine fauna and flora. At present, consumers who want to make an eco-conscious decision cannot find suitable product details and need to rely on fragmented information or complex scientific literature. The same is true for sunscreen developers, typically formulation chemists, who at present can only work with black- and whitelists which recommend or omit compounds. The ecological impact evaluation system proposed in this publication makes it easier to choose UV filters. Selection is based intrinsically on specialized knowledge which is built on environmental safety data. By embedding this in an existing in-silico sunscreen design system, new products can be created during the project’s design phase without time and cost intensive investigations. In contrast to currently available methods, the proposed tool includes comparison with a virtual market benchmark so users can determine whether a newly developed product will be an improvement on the state of the art in terms of environmental compatibility. The level of improvement can be displayed as a logo which has been designed to be immediately understandable to consumers. The system can be re-adjusted in regular time frames, depending on market development, to motivate and drive the sunscreen industry towards more eco-compatible products.
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