Project description
How the kraft process can be great for your skin
From kohl which was used by the Ancient Egyptians to darken the eyelids to the countless personal care products that make up today’s cosmetics and personal care industry, there is concern about the environmental impact and human health risk related to the use of chemical ingredients. The EU-funded BIO4CARE project will explore the natural alternative: lignin. Generated as an undervalued by-product from kraft-pulping operations, kraft lignin has the potential to become a multi-functional ingredient to manufacture a novel and bio-based competitive solution for skin photo-protection. What is more, through the project’s MSCA programme activities, the researcher will reach professional maturity and independence.
Objective
Nowadays, cosmetics and personal care products are considered essential commodities of our life. However, the growing concern about the environmental impact and human health risk related to the excessive use of chemical ingredients in skin care formulations calls for the exploration of safe and sustainable natural alternatives. The diverse functional and bioactive properties of lignin make it worthwhile to be considered for cosmetic applications. Moreover, lignin is generated as an undervalued by-product from kraft-pulping operations, the most widespread method for pulp manufacture worldwide. The BIO4CARE project tackles challenging concepts with innovative solutions to develop an efficient lignin-based multi-functional ingredient with understood and controlled properties from kraft lignin for skin care formulations. To the best knowledge of the Experienced Researcher (ER), no prior research on using kraft lignin as a multi-functional ingredient to manufacture a novel and bio-based competitive solution for skin photo-protection has been reported. The BIO4CARE project comprises multi-disciplinary tasks and addresses different research areas such as analytical and applied chemistry as well as physics and biology to achieve the specific objectives of the project. The main objectives of the project are production of homogeneous lignin nanoparticles (LNP) by a sustainable and efficient method, optimization and understanding of nanostructure-properties relationships using powerful analytical tools, manufacture of high-quality Pickering emulsions with LNP and assessment of multi-functionality and toxicological profile of LNP. In addition, through MSCA program activities, the ER will gain research and scientific skills and acquire a new set of competences to reach professional maturity and independence after the fellowship by building a solid research and industrial network, organizing events, mentoring young researchers and managing projects.
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Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
6310 Izola
Slovenia