Rincón-Fontán, Myriam, et al. ACS omega 5.11 (2020): 5704-5712.
Challenge: Conventional antidandruff shampoos require high concentrations of synthetic stabilizers to prevent insoluble Zinc Pyrithione (ZnPT) from precipitating, increasing toxicity, costs, and conflicting with clean-label consumer demands.
Solution: A corn-derived biosurfactant (BS) combined with Tween 80 replaced chemical stabilizers, optimizing ZnPT dispersion via a Box-Behnken experimental design that tested Tween 80 (0-5%), BS (0-5%), and oil/water ratio (0.01-0.1) to achieve maximal solubility with minimal synthetics.
Implementation: Formulations were prepared by homogenizing 8g batches containing 0.5% ZnPT, tea tree oil, and variable BS/Tween 80 ratios at 20,000 rpm for 2 minutes at 22°C, followed by stability, particle size, and solubility analysis over 30 days.
Results:
· The optimal blend (5% Tween 80 + 2.5% BS) achieved 59% ZnPT solubility , 40.5 μm particle size, and 91% stability retention after 30 days while reducing synthetic stabilizer load.
· Additionally, the combination of the biosurfactant and Tween 80 stabilized the Zn Pyrithione without the need for excessive chemical stabilizers, and the presence of tea tree oil added an additional antiseptic benefit.
Kumari, Neeta, et al. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13.40 (2021): 47382-47393.