Biodegradable Nanomaterials for Cosmetic and Medical Use

The replacement of fossil-based polymers with biopolymers provides the opportunity of improving the biocompatibility of materials that should be employed in contact with the body, for cosmetic and medical use, reducing their impact on health and environment. Polysaccharides, like starch and cellulose, biobased and biodegradable polyesters, such as poly(lactic acid) and poly(hydroxyalcanoate)s, lignin, chitin, and chitosan are used in these sectors. Chitin nanofibrils (CN) and nanolignin complexes, being nanostructured but micrometric, are non-citotoxic additives that can confer functional properties to cosmetic and biomedical products. CN showed an anti-microbial activity as well as a regenerative activity towards cells, whereas lignin acted as an anti-oxidant.