Italiano
Focus on Circular Economy by the Circular Economy Research Center – UNITUSCIA
The Project
The Spin-off
Research with Ecosun: The University of Tuscia launches a green procedure for producing lignin capsules with photoprotective properties for the skin. A new approach to functional cosmetics.
As the lead partner, the University of Tuscia and its Departments DEIM (Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Enterprise) and DEB (Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences), with the contribution of the Scientific Director Professor Alessandro Ruggieri, recently concluded the Ecosun project, which aims at researching and developing an industrially scalable procedure for the preparation of eco-sustainable and biocompatible sunscreen filters based on lignin microcapsules, to be used as an innovative cosmetic ingredient for protecting the epidermis from ultraviolet radiation damage.
ECOSUN
The Ecosun initiative is funded by the Lazio Region within the POR FESR – Research Group Projects 2020 framework. Among the project partners are also the University of Rome “La Sapienza” – Department of Chemistry, and the Luigi Maria Monti Foundation – Idi-Irccs.
The project is based on a patent created and filed by GENTOXchem, a spin-off of the University of Tuscia, concerning the nanostructuring of functional lignin capsules.
Ecosun represents a new concept of functional cosmetics, where technological innovation meets the valorization of agro-industrial waste and environmental respect. Thus, it fully addresses sustainability and circular economy topics, themes on which the University of Tuscia has been engaged for years through some of the most qualified study and research programs.
Impacts and Outcomes
The potential outcomes of the Ecosun project are significant on multiple fronts, primarily environmental, with the reduction of synthetic chemical sunscreens, many of which are toxic to humans and marine ecosystems. The reuse of lignin waste promotes the circular economy and reduces the environmental impact of the cosmetic supply chain.
For the skin, 100% natural and biodegradable protection. The filter developed by the university is a strategic product for companies attentive to ecosystem protection.
Significant impacts are also expected in the economic-industrial sector, thanks to the creation of a new category of natural cosmetic ingredients with high added value, with possibilities for licensing or direct production. The Ecosun filter thus aims to be a distinctive element for cosmetic companies oriented towards sustainability.
In the strictly socio-health sector, it leads to improved sun protection with reduced risks of skin damage, preventing diseases related to UV exposure, including some types of skin cancers.
Finally, within the territorial strategy, the project strengthens the Lazio research network by creating a best practice replicable in other industrial sectors.
«Ecosun is not just a research project, but an innovation catalyst – highlights the Scientific Director, Professor Alessandro Ruggieri – starting from an agro-industrial waste, it creates a product with high commercial value and strong environmental significance. The industrial scalability of the technology and its strong market orientation make it an initiative with international export potential.»
The developed active principle can therefore be integrated into lines of functional cosmetics, but also into formulations for medical devices and dermo-pharmaceutical products, significantly expanding the range of applications:
«In summary – concludes Professor Ruggieri – Ecosun combines scientific excellence, technological innovation, and environmental responsibility, offering a clear example of how university research can generate tangible economic and social value, guiding the transition toward a more sustainable and competitive cosmetic industry.»
Objectives and Method
«The objective of Ecosun – explains Professor Raffaele Saladino, Head of one of the Research Units involved in the project – was to prepare an active ingredient for natural sunscreens based on the recovery of the main wood component, lignin. Among the main research phases – continues the Professor – the development of a scalable and eco-sustainable protocol for the production of functionalized lignin capsules and their chemical-physical and structural characterization, with the preparation of lignin capsules as such and loaded with bioactive photo-adducts, accompanied by a biological evaluation of lignin microcapsules and an assessment of the prototype’s qualitative impact on the market.»
More specifically, Professor Saladino clarifies that:
«Ecosun is a project aimed at innovating and improving the quality of sunscreens through the preparation of new natural photoabsorbing and antioxidant active ingredients, capable of activating the cell’s natural defenses against radiative and oxidative damage.»
The Method
It should be added that lignin itself does not have particularly advantageous properties:
«Ecosun – states Professor Saladino – allowed the production of lignin particles with enhanced chemical-physical properties. The process involves the simple physical organization of the molecule into spherical particles, thanks to which parts of the same molecule can interact to capture radiation and free radicals harmful to health.
Moreover, thanks to the presence of a cavity inside the lignin particles, it was possible to encapsulate some natural molecules that mimic the damage DNA suffers after interaction with radiation.
The controlled release of these molecules upon contact of the particle with the skin triggers the spontaneous activation of the main cellular repair pathways.
In essence – concludes Professor Saladino – the cell begins to protect itself in advance from radiation with its natural defenses compared to what it would normally do.
The combined photoabsorbing and antioxidant action, and the ability to alert the cell against possible DNA damage, make Ecosun a totally natural and biodegradable remedy for skin protection and preventive control of diseases caused by photo-chemical and oxidative DNA damage.»
The Spin-off and the Company
The desire to transfer inventions and technological discoveries from the university environment to the active market led the Ecosun research project to be supported by the university spin-off GENTOXchem, under the scientific direction of the research activities.
It is a spin-off of the University of Tuscia, founded in 2012 to valorize scientific research results and transfer them to the industrial sector.
It operates in the university laboratories of the Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, with expertise ranging from genetics and environmental mutagenesis to organic and bioorganic chemistry, up to natural substances.
The company is active in research and development of products and services in various fields – toxicology, pharmaceutical and industrial chemistry, food and environmental safety, quality systems, project management and valorization of waste – with a growing focus on green chemistry and the transformation of agro-industrial waste into innovative materials and technologies.
The developed solutions find applications in sectors such as biocosmetics, biomedicine, and bioplastics.
The Potential
The main innovations include:
- Natural sunscreens derived from lignin, free from synthetic chemicals, with antioxidant and anti-aging properties;
- Anti-aging and depigmenting creams containing an active ingredient as support for enzymes useful for anti-aging and depigmenting activity (functional product) and related formulations;
- Eco-sustainable bioinks based on natural pigments;
- Biosensors and drug delivery systems with lignin nanoparticles;
- Home-compostable bioplastics made with bio-fillers derived from waste polyphenols (lignin and chitosan), usable in packaging, food containers, and other manufactured goods.
The final formulation of the sunscreen cream is also imminent, which will be launched on the market for the upcoming summer season across various distribution channels.
The mission of GENTOXchem is intrinsically linked to the principles of green chemistry and circular economy. The company valorizes waste materials as a primary resource, transforming them into high value-added products, reducing environmental impact, and promoting processes safe for health.
The Project
The Spin-off
Research with Ecosun: The University of Tuscia launches a green procedure for producing lignin capsules with photoprotective properties for the skin. A new approach to functional cosmetics.
As the lead partner, the University of Tuscia and its Departments DEIM (Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Enterprise) and DEB (Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences), with the contribution of the Scientific Director Professor Alessandro Ruggieri, recently concluded the Ecosun project, which aims at researching and developing an industrially scalable procedure for the preparation of eco-sustainable and biocompatible sunscreen filters based on lignin microcapsules, to be used as an innovative cosmetic ingredient for protecting the epidermis from ultraviolet radiation damage.
ECOSUN
The Ecosun initiative is funded by the Lazio Region within the POR FESR – Research Group Projects 2020 framework. Among the project partners are also the University of Rome “La Sapienza” – Department of Chemistry, and the Luigi Maria Monti Foundation – Idi-Irccs.
The project is based on a patent created and filed by GENTOXchem, a spin-off of the University of Tuscia, concerning the nanostructuring of functional lignin capsules.
Ecosun represents a new concept of functional cosmetics, where technological innovation meets the valorization of agro-industrial waste and environmental respect. Thus, it fully addresses sustainability and circular economy topics, themes on which the University of Tuscia has been engaged for years through some of the most qualified study and research programs.
Impacts and Outcomes
The potential outcomes of the Ecosun project are significant on multiple fronts, primarily environmental, with the reduction of synthetic chemical sunscreens, many of which are toxic to humans and marine ecosystems. The reuse of lignin waste promotes the circular economy and reduces the environmental impact of the cosmetic supply chain.
For the skin, 100% natural and biodegradable protection. The filter developed by the university is a strategic product for companies attentive to ecosystem protection.
Significant impacts are also expected in the economic-industrial sector, thanks to the creation of a new category of natural cosmetic ingredients with high added value, with possibilities for licensing or direct production. The Ecosun filter thus aims to be a distinctive element for cosmetic companies oriented towards sustainability.
In the strictly socio-health sector, it leads to improved sun protection with reduced risks of skin damage, preventing diseases related to UV exposure, including some types of skin cancers.
Finally, within the territorial strategy, the project strengthens the Lazio research network by creating a best practice replicable in other industrial sectors.
«Ecosun is not just a research project, but an innovation catalyst – highlights the Scientific Director, Professor Alessandro Ruggieri – starting from an agro-industrial waste, it creates a product with high commercial value and strong environmental significance. The industrial scalability of the technology and its strong market orientation make it an initiative with international export potential.»
The developed active principle can therefore be integrated into lines of functional cosmetics, but also into formulations for medical devices and dermo-pharmaceutical products, significantly expanding the range of applications:
«In summary – concludes Professor Ruggieri – Ecosun combines scientific excellence, technological innovation, and environmental responsibility, offering a clear example of how university research can generate tangible economic and social value, guiding the transition toward a more sustainable and competitive cosmetic industry.»
Objectives and Method
«The objective of Ecosun – explains Professor Raffaele Saladino, Head of one of the Research Units involved in the project – was to prepare an active ingredient for natural sunscreens based on the recovery of the main wood component, lignin. Among the main research phases – continues the Professor – the development of a scalable and eco-sustainable protocol for the production of functionalized lignin capsules and their chemical-physical and structural characterization, with the preparation of lignin capsules as such and loaded with bioactive photo-adducts, accompanied by a biological evaluation of lignin microcapsules and an assessment of the prototype’s qualitative impact on the market.»
More specifically, Professor Saladino clarifies that:
«Ecosun is a project aimed at innovating and improving the quality of sunscreens through the preparation of new natural photoabsorbing and antioxidant active ingredients, capable of activating the cell’s natural defenses against radiative and oxidative damage.»
The Method
It should be added that lignin itself does not have particularly advantageous properties:
«Ecosun – states Professor Saladino – allowed the production of lignin particles with enhanced chemical-physical properties. The process involves the simple physical organization of the molecule into spherical particles, thanks to which parts of the same molecule can interact to capture radiation and free radicals harmful to health.
Moreover, thanks to the presence of a cavity inside the lignin particles, it was possible to encapsulate some natural molecules that mimic the damage DNA suffers after interaction with radiation.
The controlled release of these molecules upon contact of the particle with the skin triggers the spontaneous activation of the main cellular repair pathways.
In essence – concludes Professor Saladino – the cell begins to protect itself in advance from radiation with its natural defenses compared to what it would normally do.
The combined photoabsorbing and antioxidant action, and the ability to alert the cell against possible DNA damage, make Ecosun a totally natural and biodegradable remedy for skin protection and preventive control of diseases caused by photo-chemical and oxidative DNA damage.»
The Spin-off and the Company
The desire to transfer inventions and technological discoveries from the university environment to the active market led the Ecosun research project to be supported by the university spin-off GENTOXchem, under the scientific direction of the research activities.
It is a spin-off of the University of Tuscia, founded in 2012 to valorize scientific research results and transfer them to the industrial sector.
It operates in the university laboratories of the Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, with expertise ranging from genetics and environmental mutagenesis to organic and bioorganic chemistry, up to natural substances.
The company is active in research and development of products and services in various fields – toxicology, pharmaceutical and industrial chemistry, food and environmental safety, quality systems, project management and valorization of waste – with a growing focus on green chemistry and the transformation of agro-industrial waste into innovative materials and technologies.
The developed solutions find applications in sectors such as biocosmetics, biomedicine, and bioplastics.
The Potential
The main innovations include:
- Natural sunscreens derived from lignin, free from synthetic chemicals, with antioxidant and anti-aging properties;
- Anti-aging and depigmenting creams containing an active ingredient as support for enzymes useful for anti-aging and depigmenting activity (functional product) and related formulations;
- Eco-sustainable bioinks based on natural pigments;
- Biosensors and drug delivery systems with lignin nanoparticles;
- Home-compostable bioplastics made with bio-fillers derived from waste polyphenols (lignin and chitosan), usable in packaging, food containers, and other manufactured goods.
The final formulation of the sunscreen cream is also imminent, which will be launched on the market for the upcoming summer season across various distribution channels.
The mission of GENTOXchem is intrinsically linked to the principles of green chemistry and circular economy. The company valorizes waste materials as a primary resource, transforming them into high value-added products, reducing environmental impact, and promoting processes safe for health.
download the news