Lignin Nanoparticles as Sustainable Photoprotective Carriers for Sunscreen Filters.

Sunscreen filters may be degraded after prolonged UV exposure with loss of their shielding property and generation of harmful radical species. They are contained in cosmetic formulations in high concentrations, so the improvement of photostability is of relevance for safety concerns. We report here that lignin nanoparticles are sustainable carriers and photostabilizers of two common UV chemical filters, namely, avobenzone and octyl methoxycinnamate.

From Historical Narratives to Circular Economy: De-Complexifying the "Desertification" Debate.

Assuming the importance of a "socioeconomic mosaic" influencing soil and land degradation at the landscape scale, spatial contexts should be considered in the analysis of desertification risk as a base for the design of appropriate counteracting strategies. A holistic approach grounded on a multi-scale qualitative and quantitative assessment is required to identify optimal development strategies regulating the socioeconomic dimensions of land degradation. In the last few decades, the operational thinking at the base of a comprehensive, holistic theory of land degradation evolved toward many different conceptual steps.