Fluorescent films based on PVDF doped with carbon dots for evaluation of UVA protection of sunscreens and fabrication of cool white LEDs

The ultraviolet-A (UVA) radiation from sunlight that reaches the earth's surface can induce premature aging, immunosuppression, and skin cancer. Commercial sunscreen products offer limited information regarding protection against UVA light. Therefore, proposing new and practical alternatives to evaluate the UVA protection capacity of commercial sunscreens is highly imperative. This work presents a novel methodology for evaluating the quality of sunscreens using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) based films doped with plant derived photoluminescent carbon dots (CDs). The bluish white light emitting (under UVA exposure) PVDF/CD films were used to evaluate the UVA protection capacity of 8 different commercial sunscreens. The evaluation of UVA protection is based on the fluorescence attenuation observed with the films coated with sunscreens. In addition, visual evaluation of the UVA protection capacity of the sunscreens and commercial glasses, using the same films and a commercial UV lamp at 365 nm, has also been demonstrated. Two sunscreens with limited UVA protection were identified using the proposed simple evaluation mechanisms without conventionally used expensive instruments and complex methodologies. Additionally, the capacity of PVDF/CD material has been explored for the possible fabrication of WLEDs with cool light emission.

Laboratory testing of sunscreens on the US market finds lower in vitro SPF values than on labels and even less UVA protection

Background

New research has attributed increased significance to the causal link between ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation and immunosuppression and carcinogenesis. In the United States, sunscreens are labeled with only their sun protection factor (SPF) and an imprecise term “broad‐spectrum protection.” Sunscreen marketing and efficacy evaluations continue to be based primarily on skin redness (sunburn) or erythema. We sought to evaluate the ultraviolet (UV) protection offered by common sunscreen products on the US market using laboratory‐measured UV‐absorption testing and comparing with computer‐modeled protection and the labeled SPF values. This approach enables an investigation of the relationship between the labeled SPF and measured UVA protection, a factor that is ignored in current regulations.

Methods

Fifty‐one sunscreen products for sale in the United States with SPF values from 15 to 110 and labeled as providing broad‐spectrum protection were tested using a commercial laboratory. All products were evaluated using the ISO 24443:2012 method for sunscreen effectiveness. The final absorbance spectra were used for analysis of in vitro UV protection.

Results

In vitro SPF values from laboratory‐measured UV absorption and computer modeling were on average just 59 and 42 percent of the labeled SPF. The majority of products provided significantly lower UVA protection with the average unweighted UVA protection factor just 24 percent of the labeled SPF.

Conclusion

Regulations and marketplace forces promote sunscreens that reduce sunburn instead of products that provide better, more broad‐spectrum UV protection. The production and use of products with broad spectrum UV protection should be incentivized, removing the emphasis on sunburn protection and ending testing on people.

Suboptimal UVA attenuation by broad spectrum sunscreens under outdoor solar conditions contributes to lifetime UVA burden

BACKGROUND

Broad spectrum sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater are indicated to decrease the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging caused by the sun if used as directed with other sun protection measures. To determine whether sunscreen product performance is compromised under solar exposure and to test spectral uniformity of protection across the UVA spectrum, we tested broad spectrum sunscreens with a variety of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and in a variety of dosage forms.

METHODS

A cross-sectional market survey of 32 sunscreen drug products containing either organic or inorganic APIs with SPFs of 15, 30, 50, and 70 was tested. UV doses were delivered via natural sun in Silver Spring, Maryland between June and September of 2017.

RESULTS

Of the 32 sunscreen drug products, 6 products failed to meet their broad spectrum claim under solar exposure. Using FDA's new proposal to strengthen sunscreen broad spectrum requirements, spectral uniformity based on the mean sunscreen absorbance of UVA1(340-400 nm)/UV (290-400 nm) indicated that ~40% of sunscreen drug products tested had suboptimal UVA protection.

CONCLUSION

US consumers may unknowingly be receiving up to 36% more transmitted UVA when selecting between similarly labeled broad spectrum sunscreen drug products with equivalent SPF values. FDA's new proposal may help decrease consumers' overall lifetime UVA burden. Spectral absorbance data on sunscreen performance can be used to further improve the coupling of broad spectrum protection to a product's SPF value so that consumers have improved proportional increases in UV protection.

Specialized Metabolites of the Lichen Vulpicida pinastri Act as Photoprotective Agents

The extreme resiliency of lichens to UV radiations makes them an interesting model to find new photoprotective agents acting as UV-blockers and antioxidant. In this research, using a new in vitro method designed to overcome the shortage of material associated to many studies dealing with natural products, we show that the three major compounds isolated from the lichen Vulpicida pinastri, vulpinic acid, pinastric acid and usnic acid, were UV blocker agents. Antioxidant assays evidenced superoxide anion scavenging activity. Combination of the most promising compounds against UVB and UVB radiations, usnic acid, vulpinic acid and pinastric acid, increased the photoprotective activity. At the same time, they were found not cytotoxic on keratinocyte cell lines and photostable in the UVA and UVB ranges. Thus, lichens represent an attractive source to find good candidate ingredients as photoprotective agents. Additionally, the uncommon scalemic usnic acid mixture in this Vulpicida species was proven through electronic circular dichroism calculation.

Contribution of UVA irradiance to the erythema and photoaging effects in solar and sunbed exposures

Even though UVA irradiance had not been considered detrimental to human skin for years, nowadays it is recognized for its role in photoaging and other biological responses. The ratio UVA/UVB is about 17 at a solar zenith angle (SZA) of 20° and it is almost constant up to 60° when it rapidly increases since the UVB wavelengths (280-320nm) are more attenuated than the UVA waveband (320-400nm). For a constant SZA, the ratio increases with the ozone content. The UVA component of the solar erythemal irradiance ranges from 20% at 20° to 30% at 60°, whereas it varies from 50% to 80% in the two different types of measured sunbeds. Moreover, the different spectral distribution of the lamps used for artificial tanning leads frequently to high UVA doses. The biological responses related to skin photoaging (skin sagging and elastosis) could be around fourfold the equivalent solar irradiance at midday in summer midlatitudes and they can be important in unprotected UVA exposures to sunbeds. The UVA dose accumulated during the time required in reaching 1 minimum erythemal dose (MED) increases with the SZA since the exposure durations are longer. Indeed, seasonal differences in the mean UVA dose are observed due to variations in the ozone content that results in longer exposure times without erythema. Although an artificial tanning session is usually shorter than one hour, the UVA dose from sunbeds during the time for 1 MED for skin type II (250Jm(-2)) can be 2-4 times larger than the solar dose, depending on the lamp spectral emission.

In vitro measurements of sunscreen protection

The ultimate goal of in vitro measurements of sunscreen protection is replacement of invasive tests on human volunteer subjects. This requires validation of methods against a measurable in vivo benchmark, such as SPF. SPF is measured in the laboratory using artificial light sources that do not completely simulate sunlight. Once a method for in vitro measurements is validated, sunscreen protection against measured solar spectra may be achieved. Critical aspects of in vitro measurements of sun protection include the ability of substrates to emulate human skin, performance of instrumentation and use of correct algorithms to account for changes in sunscreen absorbance during irradiation. We have developed a dose-response model that accounts for changes in absorbance and facilitates evaluation of broad spectrum protection, as well as SPF, and provides an index of sunscreen photostability.

UVA protection labeling and in vitro testing methods

The importance of adequate UVA protection is apparent with improved understanding of UVA-induced skin damage. This has led to the development of new sunscreen ingredients. A number of regulatory bodies or experts from the industry and academia have proposed methods to assess the efficacy of sunscreens against UVA radiation. In addition different proposals have been made regarding the labeling for UVA protection. The purpose of this paper is to describe several in vitro methods for measuring UVA protection of sunscreen products and to consider their validity. The different proposals in terms of UVA labeling are also presented and discussed. This review illustrates the need for standardization of the measurement conditions and harmonization to convey to consumers the most appropriate information on UVA protection.