SBIR Phase I: Accuracy and Performance Testing of Color Changing Chromophore for Sun Protection Indicator Stamp

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是解决防晒霜的有效性。 拟议的技术将能够及时应用足够的防晒霜，从而有助于最大限度地减少与紫外线相关的皮肤损伤的发生率，包括晒伤，与年龄相关的光损伤和皮肤癌-美国最常见的诊断癌症，每年估计治疗费用为81亿美元。 对于消费者终端用户，这项技术将提供一个负担得起的，方便的，准确的防晒效果指标，以帮助他们保持阳光安全。 对于零售商来说，这项技术将提供一种创新的手段，以增加销售额，并在整个防晒类别中增长，而不会对现有的防晒产品进行任何蚕食（零售商非常希望）。 对于防晒霜制造商/许可证持有者来说，这项技术有可能将防晒霜的消费和销售量提高2- 4倍，提高品牌认知度并增加单位利润率。 这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将验证用于实时监测防晒保护的紫外线/光敏化妆品染料（发色团）的安全性和准确性。 防晒霜可以预防皮肤癌、晒伤和光老化;然而，使用者长期涂抹防晒霜不足，也不经常重新涂抹。 尽管已经进行了许多尝试来创建用于测量防晒效果的指标，但它们是不准确的、昂贵的和不方便的，这导致它们被工业和消费者有限地使用和采用。 防晒霜防晒系数（SPF）评级是唯一的全球保护标准，基于防晒霜保护用户免受晒伤的能力。 因此，本项目的第一个目标是通过荧光分光光度法确定发色团的光作用光谱，并将其与红斑反应曲线（导致晒伤的紫外线辐射的相对类型和强度）进行比较。 第二个目标是验证当SPF水平下降到SPF 10-15以下时，发色团将准确地改变颜色，在一系列可变宽带（UVA/UVB）保护的防晒霜中。 最后，由于发色团通过载体油墨直接应用于皮肤，因此将进行行业标准化妆品安全测试，以确保发色团对皮肤应用是安全的。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to address sunscreen effectiveness. The proposed technology will enable application of sufficient sunscreen in a timely manner, thereby helping to minimize the incidence of ultraviolet-related skin damage including sunburn, age-related photodamage and skin cancer—the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States with an annual estimated treatment cost of $8.1 billion. For consumer end-users, this technology will provide an affordable, convenient, and accurate sunscreen effectiveness indicator to help keep them sun-safe. For retailers, this technology will provide an innovative means to increase sales and grow the Suncare category as a whole without any cannibalization of existing sunscreen products (highly desired by retailers). For sunscreen manufacturers/licensees, this technology has the potential to drive sunscreen consumption and sales by as much as 2-4x, grow brand recognition and increase unit profit margins. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will validate the safety and accuracy of an ultraviolet/light-sensitive cosmetic dye (chromophore) intended to monitor sunscreen protection in real-time. Sunscreen can prevent skin cancer, sunburns and photo-aging; however, users chronically underapply sunscreen and do not reapply often enough. Though numerous attempts have been made to create indicators to measure sunscreen effectiveness, they are inaccurate, expensive and inconvenient, which accounts for their limited use and adoption by the industry and consumers. Sunscreen Sun Protection Factor (SPF) ratings are the only global standard of protection and based on a sunscreen’s ability to protect users from sunburn. Therefore, the first aim of this project is to determine the photoaction spectrum of the chromophore by spectrofluorometry and compare it to the Erythemal Response Curve—the relative type and intensities of ultraviolet radiation that cause sunburns. The second aim will be to validate the chromophore will accurately change color when SPF levels drop below SPF 10-15 across a range of sunscreens of variable broadband (UVA/UVB) protection. Finally, since the chromophore is applied directly to skin via a carrier ink, industry standard cosmetic safety tests will be conducted to ensure the chromophore is safe for skin application.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.