tag:theconversation.com,2011:/ca/topics/hair-dye-51270/articlesHair dye – The Conversation2020-04-03T18:01:11Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1353782020-04-03T18:01:11Z2020-04-03T18:01:11ZBlue dye from red beets – chemists devise a new pigment option<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/324753/original/file-20200401-23143-1032w4i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=233%2C170%2C1715%2C1386&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Through the wonders of chemistry, molecules can be rearranged to completely transform color.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Erick Leite Bastos</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>What’s your favorite color? If you answered blue, you’re in good company. <a href="https://today.yougov.com/topics/lifestyle/articles-reports/2015/05/12/why-blue-worlds-favorite-color">Blue outranks all other color preferences</a> worldwide by a large margin.</p>
<p>No matter how much people enjoy looking at it, blue is a difficult color to harness from nature. As a chemist who <a href="https://www.bastoslab.com/">studies the modification of natural products</a> to solve technological problems, I realized there was a need for a safe, nontoxic, cost-effective blue dye. So my Ph.D. student, Barbara Freitas-Dörr, and I devised a <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/14/eaaz0421">method to convert the pigments of red beets into a blue compound</a> that can be used in a wide range of applications. We call it BeetBlue.</p>
<h2>Natural sources of blue</h2>
<p>Blue is strongly associated with nature, largely because it is reflected in the sky and on bodies of water. But compared to other colors, blue pigments are not commonly found in living organisms.</p>
<p>The feathers of many birds are blue, not because they produce a pigment, but because the microscopic structure of their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structural_coloration">feathers is able to filter light</a>. This physical phenomenon is very interesting but difficult to adopt for common applications.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/324747/original/file-20200401-23130-yhy2og.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/324747/original/file-20200401-23130-yhy2og.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/324747/original/file-20200401-23130-yhy2og.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/324747/original/file-20200401-23130-yhy2og.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/324747/original/file-20200401-23130-yhy2og.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/324747/original/file-20200401-23130-yhy2og.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/324747/original/file-20200401-23130-yhy2og.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/324747/original/file-20200401-23130-yhy2og.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The <em>Lactarius indigo</em> mushroom is one of Mother Nature’s rare examples of blue.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:2013-08-06_Lactarius_indigo_(Schwein.)_Fr_359786.jpg">Alan Rockerfeller/Mushroom Observer</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Plants seldom produce blue hues. When they do, their pigments rarely remain stable after extraction. The same is true for blue mushrooms like the indigo milky cap and other species that develop a blue stain when disturbed. </p>
<h2>Turning red into blue</h2>
<p>You might wonder how something red can be turned into something blue. One approach is to change the way its molecules absorb and reflect light.</p>
<p>The white light coming from your lamp contains a rainbow of colors, even though you cannot see them – without the use of a prism, that is. The surface of your red chair looks red because, at the molecular level, it is absorbing all the colors except red, which is reflected and eventually reaches your eyes.</p>
<p>The color of your chair would change from red to blue if you modified the molecular structure of its dye, making it reflect blue light instead of red. The secret is in the number of carbon atoms in the dye and how they are connected to each other. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325053/original/file-20200402-74889-mrhg0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325053/original/file-20200402-74889-mrhg0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325053/original/file-20200402-74889-mrhg0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=148&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325053/original/file-20200402-74889-mrhg0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=148&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325053/original/file-20200402-74889-mrhg0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=148&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325053/original/file-20200402-74889-mrhg0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=185&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325053/original/file-20200402-74889-mrhg0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=185&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325053/original/file-20200402-74889-mrhg0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=185&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">By changing the structure of molecular compounds, you can alter color.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Erick Leite Bastos</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Beets produce chemical compounds called betalains, which are natural pigments and antioxidants. The chemical structure of betalains can be modified to produce almost any hue. We realized that if we increased the number of alternating single-double bonds in betalain molecules, we could change their color from orange or magenta to blue.</p>
<p>Making blue dye with adequate intensity and light-fastness is difficult because it must absorb yellow and orange light efficiently. Solving this problem required lots of molecular tweaking.</p>
<p>My lab has been working with betalains for over 10 years to understand their function in nature and their unique chemical features, so it took only one experiment to produce BeetBlue. (It took more than two years to optimize the process, though.) </p>
<p>We broke apart the betalain molecules using alkaline water with a pH of 11. Then we mixed the resulting compound, called betalamic acid, with a commercial chemical compound called 2,4-dimethylpyrrole in an open vessel at room temperature. BeetBlue is formed almost instantly. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FUS95BYqJ24?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">BeetBlue is created in a beaker at room temperature.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Because we changed the characteristic carbon-nitrogen chemical bond of betalains into a carbon-carbon bond, BeetBlue is a new class of pseudo-natural dyes we call quasibetalains.</p>
<h2>Color your life blue</h2>
<p>The chemical synthesis of BeetBlue is fast and very simple. In fact, it is so simple that anyone can do it if all the chemicals are available.</p>
<p>BeetBlue dissolves easily in water and other solvents, maintains its color in acidic and neutral solutions, and may provide an alternative to expensive blue colorants that often <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inorganic_pigments#Blue_pigments">contain toxic metals</a>, which limit the scope of their applications. </p>
<p>Live zebrafish embryos as well as cultured human cells were not affected by BeetBlue. Although more experiments are necessary to make sure it is safe for human consumption, maybe you can dye your hair, customize your clothes or color your food in the future using a dye made from beets.</p>
<p>This work shows the importance of basic science for the development of technological applications. We did not patent BeetBlue. We want people to use it freely and understand, by interacting with nature in a different and sustainable way, the future can be bright. </p>
<p>[<em>Insight, in your inbox each day.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=insight">You can get it with The Conversation’s email newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/135378/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Erick Leite Bastos receives funding from the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).</span></em></p>A simple chemical reaction turns the red pigment of beets into a new, nontoxic blue dye.Erick Leite Bastos, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Universidade de São Paulo (USP)Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1086242019-01-08T12:20:02Z2019-01-08T12:20:02ZHair dye is toxic – could natural alternatives be made to work?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/252661/original/file-20190107-32142-1f2yo7u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/process-dyeing-hair-henna-ecological-product-352730813?src=3KaM7NuHp-XrVnH-jJltjQ-1-1">Symonenko Viktoriia/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Do you really know what you’re putting on your hair? Many hair dyes you can buy in the shops or hairdresser <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b03795">contain toxic chemicals</a> that can cause skin problems or even increase the chances of DNA mutations (a potential cause of cancer). As a result (and to save money), many people are turning to supposed natural alternatives, with the internet showcasing a <a href="https://www.annmariegianni.com/7-ways-to-color-your-hair-naturally/">plethora of home-made and plant-based concoctions</a>. Yet very few of these provide much evidence that they colour hair.</p>
<p>My colleagues and I recently conducted research to see if ultrasound, which is used to encourage fabrics to absorb dyes, could also help natural hair colours to be more effective. But while the results were positive, we also found that the treatment – and some of the natural dyes themselves – can also cause hair damage.</p>
<p>Hair dyes work by filling strands of hair with coloured chemicals, which enter through the hair’s pores. In permanent dyes, two types of molecule go through these holes and then react to form a bigger type of molecule that is too large to come out again. Semi-permanent dyes, meanwhile, only penetrate the outer layers of the hair and use chemicals that like to stick to the keratin protein in hair. In both cases, alkaline solutions such as ammonia can help to swell the hair, open up the hair cuticles and widen the pores to improve penetration and enhance the colour. </p>
<p>A huge range of natural products are recommended online for covering grey hairs, creating highlights or even changing the entire hair colour. Suggested substances include <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/natural-hair-dye">coffee, tea, beetroot, carrots</a>, <a href="https://www.marveloils.com/natural-dyes-for-grey-hair/">onion skins, nigella seeds</a> and a tasty concoction of <a href="https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/herbal-hair-color-tips-and-techniques/#gref">vinegar and soy sauce</a>. Since these are all things we eat, they are inherently non-toxic, but most articles that recommend them suggest reapplying every week or fortnight and provide little evidence they actually work. </p>
<p>A common suggestion for highlighting is to use <a href="https://www.dryscalpgone.com/lighten-hair-lemon-juice-honey/">lemon juice, honey and sunlight</a>. The sun’s ultraviolet rays damage hair melanin which results in a yellowed colour, and the small amount of citric acid in lemon juice can speed up this reaction. But the acid can also shrink the shaft of each strand, leaving hair thinner, and strips the hair of essential oils <a href="https://www.futurederm.com/never-use-lemon-hair/">and moisture</a>.</p>
<p>You can also buy hair dyes that use naturally derived ingredients. If you don’t mind having purple hair, one natural ingredient that has been shown to work <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b01044">is blackcurrant extract</a>. However, the most common ingredients in natural dyes are henna or indigo, with henna’s use dating back to the <a href="https://www.byrdie.co.uk/hair-color-history">ancient Egyptians</a>. When mixed with indigo, henna can create a range of shades from brown to black. These colour extracts work in a similar manner to temporary dyes and are adsorbed onto the surface of the hair. But like other plant-based dyes, henna treatments are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00032710802352605">limited by</a> their messiness and the need to frequently reapply them. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/252662/original/file-20190107-32136-150qjd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/252662/original/file-20190107-32136-150qjd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/252662/original/file-20190107-32136-150qjd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/252662/original/file-20190107-32136-150qjd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/252662/original/file-20190107-32136-150qjd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/252662/original/file-20190107-32136-150qjd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/252662/original/file-20190107-32136-150qjd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Henna hair dye is natural but limited.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/henna-powder-paste-prepare-home-still-421391764?src=qdG-BRukgB74rWf9uxZMgQ-1-2">fotolotos/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To see if we could improve the hair dyeing properties of natural hair dyes, my colleagues and I <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417718311994?via%253Dihub">recently tested</a> the effects of ultrasound on samples of goat hair. Much to the relief of the university ethics review board, this didn’t involve taking a goat to the local hairdresser. Samples of light-coloured goat hair provide a consistent source for testing and it has similar properties to human hair.</p>
<p>We already know that ultrasound can improve the performance of natural dyes on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0143720804001172">wool</a>, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10098-010-0296-2">silk</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417708001284">cotton</a>. It creates a pressure wave in liquids that grows and collapses tiny bubbles, creating microturbulence that, depending on the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417717301220">ultrasound’s characteristics</a>, can help the liquid’s molecules move around faster. Under certain conditions, ultrasound can also open up the pores of <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ie3022785">natural materials</a>. Our results showed that, with the right settings, ultrasound could halve the typical two-hour dyeing time of henna-based dyes. </p>
<h2>Hair damage</h2>
<p>But we also took magnified images of the hair using a scanning electron microscope before and after different treatments. These showed that, when ultrasound was applied for long enough, it changed the hair structure, creating a different shape hair follicle that has previously been seen in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/pde.12674">ectodermal dysplasia patients</a>.</p>
<p>In some cases, there was also some surface damage to the hair, most likely from erosion caused by the ultrasonic bubbles collapsing near or on the hair surface. The images also showed that henna-based dye can damage the outer layer or cuticle of hair, which is typically linked to dry and damaged hair. </p>
<p>Overall, ultrasound under the right conditions was able to create a more intense colour that was more resistant to washing than using the henna dye on its own, and without damaging the hair. But before you go sticking your head in an ultrasonic bath, we need to work out all safety implications. Our next step will be to look at how ultrasound can be used in the best way to enhance different dyeing formulations without damaging hair and how this can be used in the real world.</p>
<p>So far, it doesn’t look like there are any natural hair dyes without their downsides. But there is definitely room for new products that don’t involve smearing smelly, sticky food into your hair.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/108624/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Madeleine Bussemaker receives funding from Food Waste Net (BBSRC grant BB/L013819/1) and the Plants to Products Network (BBSRC grant BB/L013797/1). </span></em></p>New research suggests ultrasound could make henna-based hair dyes more effective.Madeleine Bussemaker, Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, University of SurreyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/935232018-03-20T10:42:01Z2018-03-20T10:42:01ZEager to dye your hair with ‘nontoxic’ graphene nanoparticles? Not so fast!<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211082/original/file-20180319-31624-18d3y07.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Subbing new risks for the current dyes’ dangers?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hairdresser-salon-woman-during-hair-wash-1044886945">Evgeny Savchenko/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Graphene is something of a celebrity in the world of nanoscale materials. Isolated in 2004 by Nobel Prize winners <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/2010/">Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov</a>, these ultrathin sheets of carbon atoms are already finding novel uses in areas like <a href="https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/graphene-electronics">electronics</a>, <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/green-tech/conservation/graphene-heating-system-dramatically-reduces-home-energy-costs">high-efficiency heating systems</a>, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d768030e-d8ec-11e7-9504-59efdb70e12f">water purification technologies</a> and <a href="http://cmp.callawaygolf.com/2018/01/23/chrome-soft-golf-balls-need-know/">even golf balls</a>. According to recent research published in the journal Chem, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2018.02.021">hair dyes can now be added to this list</a>. </p>
<p>But how safe and responsible is this new use of the carbon-based wonder-material?</p>
<p>Northwestern University’s <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-03/nu-gfn031218.php">press release</a> proudly announced, “Graphene finds new application as nontoxic, anti-static hair dye.” The announcement spawned headlines like “<a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/03/enough-toxic-hair-dyes-we-could-use-graphene-instead">Enough with the toxic hair dyes. We could use graphene instead</a>,” and “<a href="http://en.brinkwire.com/215369/miracle-material-graphene-used-to-create-the-ultimate-hair-dye/">’Miracle material’ graphene used to create the ultimate hair dye</a>.” </p>
<p>From these headlines, you might be forgiven for getting the idea that the safety of graphene-based hair dyes is a done deal. Yet <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=b8NhWc4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">having studied the potential health and environmental impacts</a> of engineered nanomaterials for <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2016.270">more years than I care to remember</a>, I find such overly optimistic pronouncements worrying – especially when they’re not backed up by clear evidence.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">As the dye wears off, where do the nanoparticles go?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jiaxing Huang, Northwestern University</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Tiny materials, potentially bigger problems</h2>
<p>Engineered nanomaterials like graphene and graphene oxide (the particular form used in the dye experiments) aren’t necessarily harmful. But nanomaterials can behave in unusual ways that depend on particle size, shape, chemistry and application. Because of this, researchers have long been cautious about giving them a clean bill of health without first testing them extensively. And while a <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.7b04120">large body of research to date</a> doesn’t indicate graphene is particularly dangerous, neither does it suggest it’s completely safe.</p>
<p>A quick search of scientific papers over the past few years shows that, since 2004, over 2,000 studies have been published that mention graphene toxicity; nearly 500 were published in 2017 alone.</p>
<p>This growing body of research suggests that if graphene gets into your body or the environment in sufficient quantities, it could cause harm. A 2016 review, for instance, indicated that graphene oxide particles could <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2016.04.028">result in lung damage at high doses</a> (equivalent to around 0.7 grams of inhaled material). Another review published in 2017 suggested that these <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2053-1583/aa5476">materials could affect the biology</a> of some plants and algae, as well as invertebrates and vertebrates toward the lower end of the ecological pyramid. The authors of the 2017 study concluded that research “unequivocally confirms that graphene in any of its numerous forms and derivatives must be approached as a potentially hazardous material.” </p>
<p>These studies need to be approached with care, as the precise risks of graphene exposure will depend on how the material is used, how exposure occurs and how much of it is encountered. Yet there’s sufficient evidence to suggest that this substance should be used with caution – especially where there’s a high chance of exposure or that it could be released into the environment.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, graphene-based hair dyes tick both of these boxes. Used in this way, the substance is potentially inhalable (especially with spray-on products) and ingestible through careless use. It’s also almost guaranteed that excess graphene-containing dye will wash down the drain and into the environment. </p>
<p>Here, due diligence is needed to ensure that the material is acceptably safe. This is something that goes beyond the seeming authority of a press release headline. In fact, such misleading headlines could end up being counterproductive, as they undermine efforts to demonstrate trustworthiness with consumers and investors.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Simulation of a graphene oxide framework, pictured in black, to remove contaminants from water.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/oakridgelab/14006201292">Adrien Nicolaï/RPI</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Undermining other efforts?</h2>
<p>I was alerted to just how counterproductive such headlines can be by my colleague Tim Harper, founder of <a href="http://g2o.co/">G2O Water Technologies</a> – a company that uses graphene oxide-coated membranes to treat wastewater. Like many companies in this area, G2O has been working to use graphene responsibly by minimizing the amount of graphene that ends up released to the environment.</p>
<p>Yet as Tim pointed out to me, if people are led to believe “that bunging a few grams of graphene down the drain every time you dye your hair is OK, this invalidates all the work we are doing making sure the few nanograms of graphene on our membranes stay put.” Many companies that use nanomaterials are trying to do the right thing, but it’s hard to justify the time and expense of being responsible when someone else’s more cavalier actions undercut your efforts.</p>
<p>Here, naïve claims of safety and gung-ho approaches to promoting graphene-containing products could very easily threaten the responsible development and use of this material. And if companies pull back from acting responsibly, there’s a danger that consumers, investors and even regulators, will lose trust in their ability to ensure the safety of products of all kinds. </p>
<p>If this happens, consumers will be the ultimate losers. Used responsibly, graphene could lead to more sustainable and environmentally benign products. Yet having watched the public backlash against technologies like genetic engineering over the past couple of decades, I’m acutely aware that failing to earn the trust of stakeholders and consumers can stymie technologies, regardless of how safe and beneficial they are.</p>
<h2>Overpromising results and overlooking risk</h2>
<p>This is where researchers and their institutions need to move beyond an “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2008.14">economy of promises</a>” that spurs on hyperbole and discourages caution, and think more critically about how their statements may ultimately undermine responsible and beneficial development of a technology. They may even want to consider using guidelines, such as the <a href="http://societyinside.com/sites/default/files/Principles%20for%20Responsible%20Innovation%20Short%20February%202018_0.pdf">Principles for Responsible Innovation</a> developed by the organization <a href="http://societyinside.com/">Society Inside</a>, for instance, to guide what they do and say.</p>
<p>To their credit, the authors of the dye study did give a passing mention to research on graphene safety, mostly focusing on an assumed level of safety compared to current dye products. Yet even this perfunctory level of caution failed to make it into the <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-03/nu-gfn031218.php">press release</a>, which touted a “new hair dye that is nontoxic, nondamaging and lasts through many washes without fading.”</p>
<p>It may turn out that graphene-based hair dyes can be developed safely. To be fair, the reported application isn’t even close to commercial R&D yet, never mind the salon shelf. And certainly, there’s a case to be made for substituting some of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/science/hair-dye-graphene.html">harsh chemicals currently used in some products</a> with more benign ones. But this won’t happen while researchers and their institutions gloss over legitimate concerns and cautions with blind optimism. </p>
<p>Rather, by taking more care in how nanomaterial research is framed and promoted, researchers and their academic institutions could do a lot to ensure future nano-enabled consumer products are safe, beneficial and, above all, responsible.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/93523/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Maynard receives support from the National Science Foundation as part of the Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) Engineering Research Center. </span></em></p>Less-toxic hair dye would be a great invention. But discounting the risks that come with nanoparticles could undermine other efforts to protect human health and environmental from their effects.Andrew Maynard, Director, Risk Innovation Lab, Arizona State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.