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Quantification of low-content encapsulated active cosmetic ingredients in complex semi-solid formulations by means of attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry volume 412, pages 159–169 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Attenuated total reflectance-infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy is a robust tool for molecular characterisation of matter. Applied to semi-solid formulations, it enables rapid and reliable data collection without pre-analytical requirements. Based on nano-encapsulated Omegalight®, a skin-lightening active cosmetic ingredient (ACI), incorporated in a hydrogel, it is first demonstrated that, despite the high water content and the chemical complexity of the samples (i.e. number of ingredients), the spectral features of the ACI can be detected and monitored. Secondly, with a total of 105 samples divided into a training set (n = 60) and an unknown set (n = 45) covering a 0.5% w/w–5% w/w concentration range, the study further investigates the quantitative performance of ATR-IR coupled with partial least squares regression (PLSR). Through a step-by-step approach in testing different cross-validation protocols, accuracy (root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV)) and linearity between the experimental and predicted concentrations (R2) of ATR-IR are consistently evaluated to be respectively 0.097% (w/w) and 0.995 with a lower LOD = 0.067% (w/w). Subsequently, further evaluation of the accuracy (relative error of the predicted concentration compared with the true value, expressed as %) of the analysis was undertaken with the 45 unknown samples that were defined as unknown and analysed by PLSR. The outcome of the analysis demonstrates the ruggedness and the consistency of the determination performed using the ATR-IR data. With an average relative error of 2.5% w/w and only 5 samples out of 45 blind samples exhibiting a relative error above the 5% threshold, high accuracy quantification of the nano-encapsulated ACI can be unambiguously achieved by means of the label-free and non-destructive technique of ATR-IR spectroscopy. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that the analytical capabilities of ATR-IR hold significant potential for applications in the cosmetics industry, and although the path remains long, the present study is one step further to support validation of the technique, albeit for the specific case of Omegalight®.

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Acknowledgements

This work is part of the project MISTIC 2017-00118114.

Funding

This research received financial support from Conseil Régional Centre Val de Loire and the Cosmétosciences programme.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. EA 6295 Nanomédicaments et Nanosondes, Université de Tours, 31 Avenue Monge, 37200, Tours, France

    Franck Bonnier, Lynda Miloudi, Sandra Henry, Xavier Perse, Igor Chourpa & Emilie Munnier

  2. Data_Frame, 25 rue Stendhal, 44300, Nantes, France

    Dominique Bertrand

  3. UMR U1253 iBrain, Inserm, Université de Tours, 37032, Tours, France

    Clovis Tauber

  4. Bioeurope - Solabia Group, 28260, Anet, France

    Florent Yvergnaux

  5. FOCAS Research Institute, Technological University Dublin, Kevin Street, Dublin 8, Ireland

    Hugh J. Byrne

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  1. Franck Bonnier
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  2. Lynda Miloudi
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Correspondence to Franck Bonnier.

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Bonnier, F., Miloudi, L., Henry, S. et al. Quantification of low-content encapsulated active cosmetic ingredients in complex semi-solid formulations by means of attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy. Anal Bioanal Chem 412, 159–169 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-019-02221-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-019-02221-2

Keywords

  • Infrared spectroscopy
  • Attenuated total reflectance
  • Omegalight®
  • Alginate nano-carriers
  • Multivariate analysis
  • Hydrogels
  • Label-free quantification