A group of researchers has discovered the ability of phenols extracted from cashew shells to filter UVA and UVB rays: new ecological solar products are on the way
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousA group of scientists have found out how to make one ecological sun protection starting from one totally natural source: cashew shells.
Researchers from the University of Witwatersrand, in collaboration with colleagues from the Universities of Germany, Tanzania and Malawi, worked on different plant waste by examining the absorbance power of various compounds and thus discovered the ability to absorb solar radiation by of the phenols extracted from cashew shells.
The research, published in the European Journal of Organic Chemistry, opens the door to new applications of the aromatic compounds found in this waste from the food industry: the phenols obtained from cashew shells could in fact be used to produce sun creams, cosmetics essential to protect the skin from sun damage, including premature aging, sunburn and the risk of developing skin cancers.
I phenols deriving from cashew waste could also be used for make protective coatings able to preserve plastic objects and other materials from yellowing, and from the loss of color and shine following exposure to sunlight.
This new discovery could lead to the abandonment of substances of petrochemical origin such as oxybenzone today used in cosmetics with the function of sun filters and which appears to have significant negative repercussions on the environment and on our health.
At the same time, the use of extracts from cashew shells could allow for recover what is now considered waste, transforming it into a resource in full circular economy philosophy.
Professor Charles De Koning, lead author of the study, stated that:
"Current concerns about the use of fossil resources for the chemical synthesis of functional molecules and the effect on the ecosystem of current UV filters in sunscreens have led us to look for a way to produce new UV filters from cashew shells"
"Cashew shells are a waste product and finding a useful and sustainable way to use these waste products can lead to completely new and environmentally friendly production methods," concluded the researcher.
The team has already filed a patent application in South Africa to commercialize the extraction and manufacturing process, so we look forward to see new ecological and environmentally friendly solar products on the market soon, good for our skin and for the planet.
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Tatiana Maselli
