Yes, it is true! Bismuth can be applied to your face and we explain how.
Bismuth (Bi) a a bright, crystalline metal used mainly as an allow in molds and fire detectors, among others. For its low melting point and low toxicity levels, it has been considered as a possible replacement for lead and tin as alloy metals. This makes sense but, all in all, how does this translate to the fact that Bi can be applied to our faces?
This element can also be found in the form of salts, which have multiple applications in our daily live, such as the treatment of stomach aches or as a pigment in… cosmetics! Bismuth Oxychloride can be present in makeup and other beauty products as a color additive.
Unfortunately, Bismuth is very scarce in the EU and is mostly imported from China, according to a report from the European Comission. Furthermore, the recovery rate for this element is of 0%, meaning that there are no solutions that recover or intend to recycle Bismuth to generate a marketable end-product.
In RECOPPs, we are developing two recovery protocols that aim to recover Critical Raw Materials, Bismuth and Antimony, from two different waste streams generated during the production of Copper.
In RECOPPs, we aim to recover this Critical Raw Material to promote circular economy and ensure its supply for the EU.
For you.
Sources:
- European Comission. (2020, septiembre). Critical Raw Materials Resilience: Charting a Path towards greater Security and Sustainability (COM(2020) 474).
- DiPalma, Joseph R. MD Bismuth Toxicity, Often Mild, Can Result in Severe Poisonings, Emergency Medicine News: April 2001 – Volume 23 – Issue 3 – p 16
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). CFR – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 (21CFR73.2162).