Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026

Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development
Published on: April 15, 2013
Detecting free radicals in sunscreens exposed to UVA radiation using chemiluminescence
Keith R Millington1, Megan J Osmond2, Maxine J McCall2
1CSIRO Advanced Materials TCP (Nanosafety), CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Geelong Technology Precinct, Deakin University, 75, Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia.
Abstract:
One of the current concerns with the application of nanoparticles in sunscreens, and in particular nano-TiO2 and ZnO, is their potential to photogenerate free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) when they absorb ultraviolet wavelengths from sunlight. Free radicals and ROS are known to be associated with UV-induced skin damage and oxidative stress, from which sunscreens are expected to offer significant protection. Here we describe a simple method, based on chemiluminescence emission, for detecting free radicals generated in commercial sunscreens alone, and when applied to various substrates, following exposure to UVA (320-400nm) radiation. This photo-induced chemiluminescence (PICL) technique could be used to optimise sunscreen formulations so as to minimise free radical photogeneration during exposure to sunlight.
More Related Videos
12:59Assessment of Oxidative Damage in the Primary Mouse Ocular Surface Cells/Stem Cells in Response to Ultraviolet-C UV-C Damage
Published on: February 15, 2020
16:41Detecting, Visualizing and Quantitating the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species in an Amoeba Model System
Published on: November 5, 2013
Related Concept Videos
Mutations
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
UV–Vis Spectrometers
Ultraviolet and Visible (UV–Vis) Spectroscopy: Overview