Integrated analytical approaches for the quality assessment and sustainability evaluation in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry

In recent years, sustainability has become a widespread concept in both academia and industry. It can be summarized as a three-pronged concept, encompassing environmental, social, and economic perspectives. Adopting sustainability requires a significant shift in product design, resource utilization, operating procedures, and development of standardized protocols. In this context, green analytical chemistry (GAC) plays a key role to minimize the environmental impact of chemical analyses while maintaining analytical performance and efficiency. The aim is to develop sustainable analytical methods enhancing the operator and environmental safety, reducing the use of toxic substances, preventing waste generation, promoting the use of green and bio-based solvents, and minimizing energy consumption. The principles of GAC can find wide application in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, for the development of sustainable products based on renewable resources, for the implementation of degradation procedures to reduce waste hazard potential, and for the development of integrated analytical approaches. This PhD thesis integrates the principles of sustainability and Green Analytical Chemistry to develop innovative analytical approaches for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and to evaluate human influence on remote ecosystems. Specifically, it is structured into four main chapters, each addressing a specific aspect of the research work carried out during the PhD. Below is a brief overview of their content: 1. Cosmetic packaging: an integrated approach for sustainability and safety assessment. This chapter discusses the development of a sustainable procedure to promote dye degradation using white rot fungi. Experimental design was applied to optimize the fungal growth conditions. A sustainable method based on QuEChERS extraction followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection (UHPLC-DAD) was developed and validated to investigate the degradation process. Finally, the fungal substrate was tested for its potential use as a secondary packaging material. In the same chapter, an integrated analytical approach based on different chromatographic techniques, namely supercritical fluid extraction, UHPLC, and bidimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC), coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry was developed for the analysis of leachable from plastic materials. The aim is to obtain a comprehensive overview of compounds migrating from PET bottles used in cosmetics. In the framework of sustainability of packaging production, the analysis of virgin and recycled plastic bottles was performed, to highlight the presence of compounds possibly deriving from the recycling process. 2. The potential role of essential oils in active packaging and sustainable cosmetic formulations. In this chapter, a focus was paid toward the use of essential oils in cosmetic industry. In particular, novel materials based on the encapsulation of essential oil components in Metal Organic Frameworks were developed and tested. The release profiles of these compounds were investigated, showing a stable and prolonged release of the active components of essential oils. The incorporation of the material in a biodegradable film to be used in active packaging was also tested. As part of the PhD program, a research activity was carried out in the Davines facility: the research activity was focused on the optimization of the extraction of rosmarinic acid from Melissa officinalis leaves. An ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) protocol was developed in accordance with green analytical chemistry principles. Finally, a UAE-HPLC-DAD method was developed and validated, aiming to extract and quantify active components from plant matrices, thus implementing their usage in cosmetic formulations. 3. Untargeted volatile profiling of silicone oils used for retinal detachment based on headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The development of a sustainable analytical procedure based on headspace analysis of silicon oils used in ophthalmic surgery is discussed. Both untargeted and targeted methods were developed for the detection and quantitation of low-molecular weight contaminants that could be associated with the risk of visual loss following postoperative treatments. 4. An integrated transmission electron microscopy-Raman micro spectroscopy approach for the assessment of microplastic content in Antarctic snow samples. In this chapter, an integrated approach based on transmission electron microscopy and Raman micro spectroscopy was developed to analyze micro- and nanoparticles present in snow samples from Antarctica. By providing both elemental and molecular characterization of the analyzed materials, the developed procedure yielded key insights for assessing the source of contamination and the impact of local anthropic activities. This PhD was co-founded by Davines SpA, an international cosmetic company, founded in Parma (Italy) in 1983. Sustainability has been a central point for this company since 2016, when the Davines Group obtained the B Corp certification. This means that the Company meets high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. This commitment is reflected in the use of natural ingredients, the adoption of renewable energy in production processes and efforts to minimize the environmental impact of packaging.