Table of Content

22 July 2024, Volume 54 Issue 7 Previous Issue    Next Issue

Basic research

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Study on the drainage behavior of non-aqueous foams stabilized by nano-silica particles Tingting Gao, Yongli Yan, Suiwang Zhang, Yu Chen, Bingcheng He 2024, 54 (7):  751-758.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.001 Abstract ( 914 )   HTML ( 10 )   PDF (2467KB) ( 58 )   Non-aqueous foams have a wide range of applications in petrochemical industry, food industry, daily chemical industry and biomedical industry. However, the low surface tension and low dielectric constant of non-aqueous solvents lead to the difficulty in forming stable foams. The unique advantages of nano-silica particles in foaming and foam stabilization are getting more and more attention. In this work, the surface wettability of 14 nm nano-silica particles was modified with dichlorodimethylsilane （DCDMS）. The effects of wettability of these nano-silica particles on the drainage behaviors of several non-aqueous foams were studied. It was found that, with the increase of the polarity of non-aqueous solvents, the foaming performance showed a gradually increasing trend. The drainage process for non-aqueous foam could be divided into three stages: The initial stage, the middle stage, and the end stage. With the increase of the surface wettability of nano-silica particles, the half-life of foam was first increased and then decreased. The half-life of foams of highly polar solvents could reach 45 min, and the half-life of foams of moderately polar solvents could reach 60 min. Under optical microscope, it was observed that with drainage, the bubble size of foams gradually increased and the shape gradually became polygonal. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Study on the performance of extended surfactants in reducing interfacial tension under seawater conditions Binlin Pan 2024, 54 (7):  759-766.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.002 Abstract ( 845 )   HTML ( 8 )   PDF (1337KB) ( 71 )   The aim of this work was to systematically explore the relationship between the structure of extended surfactants and their abilities in reducing interfacial tension （IFT） under seawater conditions. Those extended surfactants with different structures were selected to test IFT. The effects of hydrophobic alkyl chain length, alkyl branching, and numbers of oxypropylene （PO） and oxyethylene （EO） groups on the ability of reducing IFT were investigated. The results showed that by increasing the length of the alkyl chain and the branching of the hydrophobic group, the effectiveness in reduction of IFT was small, which could not achieve the ultra-low level （<10-2 mN/m）. In contrast, the PO number was a key factor affecting the IFTs of the extended surfactant solutions against hydrocarbons and crude oil. The IFT could be reduced to the magnitude order of 10-3 mN/m at appropriate hydrophilic-lipophilic balance by spirally curling the long PO segment and thus increasing the hydrophobic group size. The increase of EO groups lead to incompact arrangement of molecules at the interface, resulting in the increase of IFT. The competitive adsorption of crude oil components at the interface was unfavorable to the decrease of interfacial tension. The increase of PO number lead to the gradual decrease of IFT against crude oil. This extended surfactant showed high interfacial activity under seawater conditions, which was suitable for chemical flooding to enhance oil recovery in offshore reservoirs. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Lecture of science and technology

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Preparation, properties and applications of natural biomass materials （Ⅶ）Branched heteroglycan anionic polysaccharides: gum tragacanth Yejie Zhou, Yadi Liu, Yimo Zhao, Xiaotong Sun, Yu Gao, Jinshi Fan 2024, 54 (7):  767-776.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.003 Abstract ( 730 )   HTML ( 5 )   PDF (2127KB) ( 46 )   Gum tragacanth is a kind of polysaccharide extracted from natural herbal plant astragalus membranaceus, which is distinguished by its chemical stability, non-teratogenicity, non-immunogenicity, biodegradability, biocompatibility and natural non-toxicity. Moreover its physical and chemical properties can be significantly improved, and its application performance can be significantly enhanced through molecular modification, chemical cross-linking, graft copolymerization and other modification treatments by utilizing the active functional groups in its molecular structure, such as hydroxyl group, carboxyl group and glycosidic bond. As a result, gum tragacanth and its modified products have been widely used not only in the field of medicine, but also in the fields of food processing, water treatment, medical materials and daily chemical products. In this paper, the source, composition and structure, the main physicochemical properties and functions of gum tragacanth, the key extraction and purification technologies, as well as some recent application examples of gum tragacanth in the above fields are briefly presented. Additionally, the existing challenges and future prospects of research and development of gum tragacanth and its modified derivatives are also highlighted in this paper. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Development and application

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Study on the reparative effects of oxymatrine on impaired skin barrier function in mice Zhaoyi Liu, Xinyu Chen, Yan Wang, Xue Li, Ruoxi Guo, Han Zhang 2024, 54 (7):  777-783.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.004 Abstract ( 702 )   HTML ( 5 )   PDF (1928KB) ( 53 )   This study investigates the reparative effects of oxymatrine （OMT） cream on the skin barrier function in mice. Seventy male ICR mice were randomly divided into seven groups. Except for the normal group, mechanical damage was induced using tape-stripping to create a mouse model of impaired skin barrier function. Following model induction, continuous topical administration of OMT was administered for 5 days, during which time photographs were taken, and transepidermal water loss （TEWL） was measured in the model area. After completing the experiment, morphological changes in skin tissue were observed using Hematoxylin and Eosin （HE） staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to determine the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α） and interleukin （IL）-8 in skin tissue. Real-time quantitative PCR （RT-qPCR） was used to assess the expression levels of tight junction protein （ZO-1）, filaggrin （FLG）, and aquaporin 3 （AQP3） mRNA. Additionally, Western blot analysis was performed to measure the expression levels of occludin （OCC）, FLG, and claudin-1. The results indicated that all OMT dosage groups exhibited a reduction in skin TEWL, alleviation of inflammatory infiltration, and improvement in skin pathological conditions compared to the model group. Moreover, the high-dosage group showed a significant decrease in the levels of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α （P<0.05）, and a significant increase in the expression of ZO-1, FLG mRNA, OCC, FLG, and Claudin （P<0.05）. OMT was found to possess reparative effects on skin barrier function, with its mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of inflammatory factors and the upregulation of barrier-related protein expression. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Experimental study on demulsification and dehydration of crude oil in the transition zone of LP oilfield sedimentation tank Zheng Zhang, Zhiming Tong, Chao Yang, Zhansheng Wang, Wu Chen 2024, 54 (7):  784-794.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.005 Abstract ( 45 )   HTML ( 2 )   PDF (2694KB) ( 27 )   The crude oil in the transition zone of LP oilfield settlement tank contains colloidal FeS and other components that play an emulsifying role, which makes crude oil dehydration difficult and cannot meet the requirements of crude oil inlet electrodehydrator. The physical properties, crude oil composition and produced water composition of crude oil in the transition zone were analyzed, and the screening of FeS remover and demulsifier was optimized, and the demulsification effect and adaptability of the combined FeS remover and demulsifier were studied. The results show that the screened FeS remover BLJ-01 has a good dissolution effect on FeS, and the combination of 3% FeS remover BLJ-01 and 800 mg/L demulsifier X-75 can effectively remove FeS from crude oil in the sedimentation tank transition zone at 55 ℃, with the dehydration rate of crude oil in the sedimentation tank transition zone reachings 85.78%. BLJ-01 has strong adaptability with X-75, and the dehydration rate of crude oil in the transition zone of P2 joint station settlement tank with a water content of more than 40% can reach more than 80%. It can show excellent demulsification effect under weak acid or weak alkaline conditions, which is also suitable for demulsification and dehydration of crude oil in the transition zone of SJ station settlement tank, and can significantly reduce the amount of demulsifier. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Study on the emulsion-breaking performance of cross-linked polyether demulsifiers for the emulsion produced by surfactant/polymer flooding in Shengli oilfield Limei Sun, Haifeng He, Shenfa An, Zhiyong Luan, Peng Sun, Yang Wang, Feng Yan 2024, 54 (7):  795-802.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.006 Abstract ( 692 )   HTML ( 2 )   PDF (1936KB) ( 35 )   In view of the difficulties in breaking the emulsion produced by surfactant/polymer flooding in Shengli oilfield, the cross-linked polyether demulsifiers D-BP, D-TA and D-PA were prepared by cross-linking polyether demulsifiers with dewatering function for water-in-oil （W/O） emulsion and polyether demulsifier with oil-removal function for oil-in-water （O/W） emulsion. The interfacial activities of the three cross-linked polyether demulsifiers were investigated. Their effects on the oil-water interfacial film of emulsions were examined, and their emulsion-breaking effects on W/O and O/W emulsions were explored. The results showed that among the three cross-linked polyether demulsifiers, D-PA with hyperbranched structure had the strongest adsorption at the oil-water interface and showed the highest interfacial activity. D-PA had the greatest effect on the oil-water interfacial film formed by the kerosene-diluted crude oil and produced water. The new film formed after D-PA adsorption at the oil-water interface had the lowest interfacial dilatational modulus. The dewatering rate of W/O emulsion by D-PA was 94.4%, and the oil removal rate for O/W emulsion from the same oilfield reached 98.1%. More importantly, the D-PA demulsifier was capable of simultaneously treating complex emulsions containing W/O and O/W types. The comprehensive dewatering rate by D-PA for the emulsion produced by surfactant/polymer flooding containing W/O and O/W was above 98%, and the oil content of the effluent after treated was less than 30 mg/L. The retention rate of polymer （HPAM） reached 94.8%, and the oil-water interface was neat and without emulsified intermediate layer. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Multidimensional analysis and study of physiological parameters of lip skin Changmei Peng, Jie Feng, Tianbo Yao, Wanping Zhang, Shilian Zheng 2024, 54 (7):  803-811.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.007 Abstract ( 84 )   HTML ( 13 )   PDF (2457KB) ( 76 )   To investigate the basic state of lip skin in subjects of different regions, ages and genders, multi-dimensional analysis and research on lip physiological parameters were conducted, and the main factors affecting lip skin traits through the intervention of lip oil on lip skin were explored. Subjects （73 aged 18-35 years old, 50 aged 35-60 years old, and 55 males, 68 females） in East China （73） and North China （50） were determined by noninvasive evaluation method. Eight skin physiological parameters of moisture content, TEWL, gloss, elasticity, L*a*b* value and texture of the lower lip were measured. The results of this study show that the trans epidermal water loss （TEWL） values of 51.99±17.37, L* values of 51.99±8.83, b* values of 15.40±1.56 and texture values of 15.10±6.43 in the East China group are significantly higher than those in the North China group （P<0.05）. The moisture content （56.82±12.63） and skin elasticity （0.78±0.18） of the 35-60 years old group are significantly higher than those in the 18-35 years old group （P<0.05）. The TEWL value of the basal state of the lips （52.08±17.68） in the male group is significantly higher than that in the female group （43.48±16.03）（P<0.05）. Through the intervention of lip oil on the skin of the lips, compared with the basic state, the moisture content of the lips of the subjects after using the lip oil first decreases and then gradually increases. TEWL first decreases significantly and then gradually increases. The gloss, elasticity and texture are first increased and then decreased. The change in skin color （L*a*b* value） is not significant. In summary, the physiological parameters of the subjects’ lip skin are not only affected by the regions, ages and genders, but also related to the basic state of the subjects’ lips and the frequency of lip products usage. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Study on the synthesis of silicone quaternary ammonium salt and its application in the detergent and softener Guoqiang Cai, Lin Wang, Yan Zhang, Meilin He, Lei Zhang, Yibo He 2024, 54 (7):  812-820.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.008 Abstract ( 66 )   HTML ( 8 )   PDF (3234KB) ( 31 )   Silicone quaternary ammonium salts were synthesized by the ring-opening reaction between N, N-dimethyl-dodecyl amine and epoxy polyether modified silicone oils of different molecular weights. The molecular structure of products of silicone quaternary ammonium salts were characterized by FT-IR. The bacteriostatic effects of these silicone quaternary ammonium salts with different molecular weights, as well as some commercial samples and the cotton fabrics treated by them, were investigated. The Zeta potential of fabric surface treated by the single solution and the softener containing quaternary ammonium salt was also studied. The fabric-softening effect in softener and the anti-redeposition effect in detergent were studied for silicone quaternary ammonium salt. The results showed that the synthesized silicone quaternary ammonium salt had excellent bacteriostatic effect with antibacterial rate above 99.9% at a dosage as low as 0.1% （w/%）. The Zeta potential of treated fabric was increased due to the adsorption of silicone quaternary ammonium salt. A solution of merely 1% silicone quaternary ammonium salt （MW 5 000） was able to change the surface of cotton fabric from negatively charged to positively charged, which was much better than that of the commercial samples. Moreover, the synthesized silicone quaternary ammonium salt showed significant softening effect in softener system and good anti-redeposition effects against carbon black and yellow soil in the detergent system. The anti-redeposition effect on cellulose fabric was better than that on polyester fabric. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Study of quercetin-loaded microemulsion with high loading capacity based on isopropyl lauroyl sarcosine as oil phase Qiang Wang, Yonglin Xu, Yan Diao 2024, 54 (7):  821-827.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.009 Abstract ( 58 )   HTML ( 1 )   PDF (1598KB) ( 106 )   Quercetin is well known for its significant scavenging properties on oxidizing species, and can play a protective role against ultraviolet radiation-induced damage, thus improving skin condition and preventing skin aging. However, its low solubility in water is the main reason of its formulation difficulties. To overcome these problems, a proper and effective drug delivery system development is essential. Moreover, previous studies found that the solubility of quercetin in isopropyl lauroyl sarcosine could reach a maximum of （83.30±2.65） mg/g, which was much higher than other oils. Therefore, in this study, quercetin-loaded microemulsion was prepared by low energy emulsification method using isopropyl lauroyl sarcosine as the oil phase due to its good solubilizing capacity, and then some physicochemical properties （i.e., microscopic morphology, droplet size, pH, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, etc.） of the microemulsion system were evaluated. The microemulsion is found to be spherical in shape with an uniform size distribution, and the average droplet size, PDI, Zeta potential and pH value are measured to be （38.6±0.5） nm, 0.18±0.07, （-28.16±1.02） mV and 6.23±0.18, respectively. Meanwhile, the encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of quercetin in the microemulsion system are calculated to be 98.85%±2.36% and 3.24%±0.12%, respectively. Additionally, it can be found that the microemulsion system presented non-Newtonian pseudoplastic fluid and predominantly elastic behaviors. The above results indicate that the microemulsion system comprising isopropyl lauroyl sarcosine as the dispersion phase has the potential to effectively improve the solubility and loading capacity of quercetin, which is of great significance for improving the efficacy of quercetin and reducing the used amount and frequency of the microemulsion system. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Effect of sandalwood extract on olfactory receptor and its clinical efficacy Yueming Jiang, Wenjia Lu, Xin Qu 2024, 54 (7):  828-835.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.010 Abstract ( 92 )   HTML ( 5 )   PDF (3769KB) ( 252 )   Olfactory receptors （OR） are a class of membrane proteins that can specifically bind to external chemicals （ligands）, thereby inducing intracellular signal transmission. In this work, the impact of aging on OR, the mechanism of sandalwood extract and its clinical efficacies were studied. The relationship between age and OR was studied using reconstructed human epidermis （RHEs） at different ages. The models of senescent RHE and hair follicle dermal papilla cells were established to study the activation of OR2AT4 by sandalwood extract. The role of sandalwood extract in promoting the production of anagen-prolonging factor IGF-1 was studied using hair follicle dermal papilla cell model. The results of in vitro test showed that, the expression of OR2AT4 decreased with age. The level of OR2AT4 in senescent RHE was significantly increased by 46% after treated with 1% sandalwood extract. In addition, 0.002% sandalwood extract could promote the production of IGF-1 in hair follicle dermal papilla cell model, which was significantly increased by 27%. The clinical results demonstrated that, the skin water content, skin tone, skin firmness and wrinkles were all improved after using a cream containing 2% sandalwood extract for 28 days. Hair density was significantly improved after using a scalp serum containing 2% sandalwood for 86 days. In conclusion, sandalwood extract could activate the expression of OR2AT4 and IGF-1 to improve skin aging signs and treat hair loss issue induced by hair follicle aging. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Rhein attenuates UVB-induced skin photoaging injury by inhibiting p38 MAPK phosphorylation Guanru Shao, Kunyang Zhang 2024, 54 (7):  836-843.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.011 Abstract ( 87 )   HTML ( 5 )   PDF (2176KB) ( 51 )   The study aimed to reveal the effect and mechanism of rhein on skin photoaging injury induced by ultraviolet B （UVB）. Rats were divided into 6 groups: normal control group （NC）, UVB group, low dose Rhein group （L-Rhein）, medium dose Rhein group （M-Rhein）, high dose Rhein group （H-Rhein） and high dose Rhein+p38 MAPK agonist Anisomycin group （H-Rhein+Anisomycin）. Rats in the NC group were shaved without irradiation, while the other groups were irradiated with UVB. In this study, the administration route of rhein was oral administration. Rats were treated for 8 weeks. After treatment, the body weight, water content of epidermis and the levels of oxidative stress indexes （SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and MDA） in skin tissue were measured, and the skin tissue was stained with HE staining and Masson trichrome staining, and the volume fraction of collagen （CVF） was calculated. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MMP-1, MMP-3 and Collagen Ⅰ mRNA in skin tissue were detected by RT-qPCR. The protein levels of p-p38 MAPK and p38 MAPK in skin tissue were detected by Western blotting. The results show that compared with UVB group, the phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK in L-Rhein group, M-Rhein group and H-Rhein group decreases, the water content of epidermis increases, the skin injury is alleviated, CVF increases, the relative expression of MMP-1 and MMP-3 mRNA decreases, the relative expression of Collagen Ⅰ mRNA increases, the level of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px increassd, the level of MDA decreases, and the relative expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA decreases in the skin （P<0.05）. Anisomycin attenuates the skin protective effect of rhein （P<0.05）. This study shows that rhein attenuates UVB-induced skin photoaging injury by inhibiting p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Therefore, Rhein may be a candidate natural drug for the prevention and treatment of skin photoaging. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Reviews

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Aggregation and dissolution behavior of silver nanoparticles in laundry wastewater: A review Xiujun Gu, Ping Luo, Chengjian Cai, Dejun Yang, Jiachao Jiang, Jing Yang 2024, 54 (7):  844-852.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.012 Abstract ( 751 )   HTML ( 4 )   PDF (1275KB) ( 38 )   Silver nanoparticles have been widely used in textiles because of excellent antibacterial properties to inhibit the growth of bacteria and pathogenic microorganisms. However, the massive use of silver nanoparticles can also cause harm to the ecological environment. During the textile washing process, a large amount of silver nanoparticles will be released and enter the laundry wastewater. The washing conditions, including detergents, light, pH, and ionic strength, can affect the aggregation and dissolution behavior of silver nanoparticles, thereby affecting subsequent environmental processes and negatively affecting aquatic organisms and ecosystems. In this review, relevant domestic and foreign research literature were summarized to explore the effects of different washing conditions on the aggregation and dissolution behavior of silver nanoparticles, and to reduce the environmental risks brought by silver nanoparticles. The characteristics of laundry wastewater were summarized. Based on the characteristics of water quality, the influences of different washing conditions on the aggregation and dissolution behavior of silver nanoparticles in laundry wastewater were summarized. The single or combined effects and mechanisms of detergent types, light, pH, ionic strength and other washing conditions in laundry wastewater on the aggregation and dissolution behavior of silver nanoparticles were discussed. According to the mechanism, some suggestions were put forward to reduce the biological toxicity of silver nanoparticles, including reducing the release of silver nanoparticles during washing, and optimizing the treatment of laundry wastewater. Finally, the future research direction of silver nanoparticles in laundry wastewater was prospected, and the follow-up research suggestions were put forward. This review could provide a reference for further research on the migration and transformation of silver nanoparticles in laundry wastewater or other polluted water bodies, and also provide a way to reduce the release of silver nanoparticles in the washing process and control the pollution caused by silver nanoparticles. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Safety evaluation progress of three kinds of arbutin and its current status in cosmetics regulations Jiaojiao Wu, Wei Zhang, Yanchao Wang, Xinrong Pei 2024, 54 (7):  853-858.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.013 Abstract ( 75 )   HTML ( 2 )   PDF (1132KB) ( 177 )   α-arbutin, β-arbutin and deoxyarbutin have good whitening effect, but they are easy to produce hydroquinone under certain conditions, which has the risk of exogenous ochronosis, achromodermia, sensitization, and carcinogenesis. So their safety has attracted much attention at home and abroad. The author summarizes the safety evaluation reports of α-arbutin, β-arbutin and deoxyarbutin by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety （SCCS） of the European Union in recent years, as well as the supervision situation of cosmetics regulations in different countries and regions, in order to understand the safety evaluation status of arbutin and provide references for the use and supervision of arbutin in cosmetics in China. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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The application of brand personification IP in cosmetics packaging design Haiyun Shi, Yan Hua 2024, 54 (7):  859-865.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.014 Abstract ( 40 )   HTML ( 2 )   PDF (2994KB) ( 34 )   In the increasingly fierce competition in the cosmetics market, brand personification IP has become an important way of cosmetics brand marketing. This paper uses the methods of literature research, case analysis and practice research to study the characteristics of brand personification and brand personification IP, the personification construction of cosmetics brand IP and its role in cosmetics packaging design. This paper puts forward the construction model of cosmetics brand personification IP, and explores the personification of cosmetics brand personification IP based on Jung’s “prototype” theory. Based on cognitive connectionism model theory, this paper extracts the personification related words from the application of cosmetics brand personification IP in packaging design. Finally, taking Dubao, a self-designed cosmetics brand, as a design case, the design practice of its brand personification IP and packaging is carried out. The research shows that the application of brand personification IP in cosmetic packaging design has a positive promoting effect on enhancing consumer experience, establishing cosmetic brand image and promoting product sales. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Influence factors analysis of two methods for evaluating antioxidant activity in vitro: DPPH and ABTS assays Xueli Jia, Zumrat Aziz, Yongxian Bi, Congfen He, Meng Tang, Kun Dong 2024, 54 (7):  866-872.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.015 Abstract ( 65 )   HTML ( 3 )   PDF (1108KB) ( 52 )   Currently, in vitro evaluation of antioxidant activity is widely used in the fields of food, medicine and cosmetics, but none of the methods can truly and accurately reflect the “total antioxidant capacity” of antioxidants, and each assay has certain shortcomings and limitations. The DPPH and ABTS methods are widely accepted and used because they are rapid, simple, low-cost, and can detect a large number of samples. However, different antioxidant solvents, structures, concentrations and spatial polarizability, absorption signals, and reaction times have an impact on the accuracy of the results. In this study, based on the analysis of different factors affecting the accuracy of the DPPH and ABTS methods, it is found that DPPH method is more suitable for evaluating antioxidants with organic solvents as reaction solvents, nonpolar/lower polarity, and slower reaction, and the method is easily affected by the color of the antioxidants, such as pigments, light, metal ions, and fluctuations in pH. The ABTS method is more suitable for evaluating antioxidants with water as the reaction solvent, high polarity and rapid reaction. Therefore, in order to accurately determine the antioxidant activity, suitable methods should be selected according to the characteristics of the samples, and it is also recommended to use at least two or more methods to fully reflect the antioxidant activity. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Analytical methods and testing

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Determination of 5 whitening agents in cosmetics using UPLC-MS/MS Changzhao Wang, Zihao Li, Yixin Wang, Yue Yang 2024, 54 (7):  873-878.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2097-2806.2024.07.016 Abstract ( 105 )   HTML ( 7 )   PDF (1230KB) ( 71 )   A method was established for quantitative determination of five whitening agents in cosmetics using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS/MS）. The samples were extracted with methanol-water solution （70∶30）, ultrasonic extraction for 30 minutes and then separated by Agilent column （ZORBAX RR StableBond Aq） followed by gradient elution. An electrospray ionization （ESI） source in negative ion mode was utilized for multiple reaction monitoring （MRM） scanning. The results show that under optimal conditions no obvious matrix effect exists in 3 different cosmetic matrices. Among the three cosmetics with different types of matrices, good linearity is obtained for five whitening agents in the range of 1.0-200.0 ng/mL, and the correlation coefficients （R2） are more than 0.996. The limit of detection （LOD） and limit of quantitation （LOQ） are 0.01-0.1 mg/kg and 0.03-0.3 mg/kg, respectively. Spike recovery is performed on three cosmetics at three different spike levels （1, 2, and 10 times of the LOQ）, and the average recovery range is 82.6%-104.8% with a relative standard deviation of 2.1%-8.6% （n=6）. This method is easy to implement, efficient and accurate. It is suitable for quantitative analysis of five whitening agents, including deoxyarbutin, α-arbutin, β-arbutin, hydroquinone, and ursolic acid in common cosmetics, providing technical support for the regulation and risk monitoring of the cosmetics industry. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics