Environmental Engineering and Management Journal January 2014, Vol.13, No. 1, 105-113 http://omicron.ch.tuiasi.ro/EEMJ/ “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Romania APPLICATION OF FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE COSMETICS AND INGREDIENTS WITH ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL Anca Maria Juncan 1, 2 , Florinela Fetea 3 , Carmen Socaciu 3 1 “Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Arany Janos Str. 11, 400028, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 2 S.C FARMPREV SRL, Suceava Str. 24-26, 400219, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 3 University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Abstract The aim of this study is to elaborate a survey on the efficiency of three anti-aging cosmetic formulations by applying Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) with Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) in order to characterize and identify the specific recognition markers of the active ingredients. FTIR (ATR) spectrometry in specific regions was applied also to the ingredients used in these products, depending on their role in the specific cream. Comparing the different composition of the creams, depending on the ratio of lipophylic to hydrophylic ingredients, of emollient-emulsifier type ingredients, antioxidant and active ingredients, it has been noticed identification of differences between the natural (α-tocopherol acetate) and the synthetic antioxidant (BHA) by characteristic markers. The antioxidant potential of α-tocopherol acetate and of BHA, usually used in cosmetic formulations or added in a controlled way, at known levels of concentration in a standard cream, were evaluated by the DPPH method. Their antioxidant effect could not be demonstrated in our experiments with controlled concentrations (below 1% and even higher), added to complex mixtures with lipids. Higher sensibility methods, like electronic spin resonance (ESR) could probably deliver additional information about the antioxidant potential of some complex mixtures, like anti-aging creams. Key words: anti-aging products, antioxidants, cosmetic formulations, DPPH method, FTIR analysis Received: April, 2011; Revised final: April, 2012; Accepted: April, 2012  Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed: E-mail: anca_juncan@yahoo.com; Phone: +40-264-434194; Fax: +40-264-484712. 1. Introduction Determination and quantitation of active ingredients in cosmetic and hair care products frequently proves to be challenging for analytical chemists. Often the active ingredients are present in low concentrations and the formulations have complex composition. A typical “oil in water” (o/w) formulation might contain ingredients such as water, glycerin, stearic acid, mineral oil, triethanolamine, cetyl alcohol, carbomers and preserved with parabens and antioxidants, which mostly occur in mixtures in cosmetic fromulations (Juncan, 2011; Sabo et al., 1984). The actual European legislation prohibits the use of cosmetic ingredient concentrations higher than the maximum authorized levels of ingredients depending to the toxicity of some components and the part of the body where they are to be applied. Control of the composition of cosmetic finished products must be monitored to avoid excessive concentrations that could cause consumers dermatological diseases (Salvador et al., 2001). Several components of a cosmetic formulation are able to interact with active ingredients (volatile oils, pigments, antioxidants, etc.), reducing their stability and efficacy. It is important to determine the