Sunscreens are over-the-counter drugs used to protect the skin against the harmful effects of sunlight by absorbing and reflecting incident ultraviolet radiation. Metal oxide particles, such as TiO2 and ZnO have been widely used for years as an ingredient in sunscreens; however, an increase in the use of these materials as nanoscale components has led to rising concerns about their potential health impact. Due to their size, nanoparticles can reach parts of biological systems not normally accessible by their larger counterparts; thus there is an urgent need for regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, to ensure that sunscreens containing metal oxide nanoparticles are safe for consumer use. This study focuses on the development of standardized methods to isolate metal oxide nanoparticles in commercially available sunscreens, and to address the knowledge gaps regarding their characterization. Preliminary results on the isolation protocols of sunscreen products containing metal oxide nanoparticles and an assessment of their physicochemical properties (i.e., particle size, elemental composition, crystal structure) using an ensemble of conventional and state-of-the-art techniques will be presented. The establishment of these regulatory methods will allow the FDA to achieve its mission of protecting and advancing the public health by accurately and promptly characterize sunscreen products.

Isolating and characterizing metal oxide nanoparticles in sunscreens: Multimethod determination of their physicochemical properties

248th National Meeting (2014)

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