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Yes—researchers have turned waste fish bones into calcium-phosphate materials for experimental sunscreen creams. A 2014 cream made with iron-modified hydroxyapatite from waste cod bones was described as having a five-star rating under the Boots UVA system. That is a study result about UVA protection, not an SPF of five and not evidence that a fish-bone sunscreen is sold commercially.
What the “five-star” result means
The five stars in the 2014 paper refer to the Boots UVA star rating system. They do not mean SPF 5, a five-star consumer review, or a retail product rating. SPF describes protection primarily against sunburn-causing UVB; UVA measures and rating systems address UVA protection. The paper also reported a critical wavelength greater than 370 nm, a measure used to assess the breadth of a sunscreen’s UV absorption. The 2014 study described its cream as absorbing strongly in both UVA and UVB ranges.
How fish bones became a sunscreen ingredient
Fish bones contain calcium phosphate, a mineral that can be processed into hydroxyapatite and related materials. In the 2014 work, researchers used waste cod bones and incorporated iron into a hydroxyapatite-based material, with iron oxide also present as hematite. They formulated that material into a cream as an active UV-absorbing ingredient. The paper reported photostability and no irritation or erythema in a small skin assessment; those findings apply to that study and do not establish broad or long-term safety.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchHow the later studies differ
These papers investigate different formulations and roles for fish-bone-derived minerals. Some use them as UV-absorbing materials; others test them as boosters alongside established organic filters. Their figures should not be treated as measurements of one common product.
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| Study | Material and role | Reported result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Iron-modified hydroxyapatite from waste cod bones, used as an active UV-absorbing material in a cream | Five-star Boots UVA rating; critical wavelength greater than 370 nm. Royal Society of Chemistry paper. |
| 2017 | Cod-bone hydroxyapatite–iron oxide; researchers varied iron salts, pH, and powder processing | SPF up to 4.1 and critical wavelength 388–389 nm in the tested creams; UVA/UVB ratios close to 1. Materials Science and Engineering: C paper. |
| 2022 | Fish-bone calcium phosphates tested as boosters with organic UV filters | With 20.0 wt% octocrylene, the CaP-N formulation raised reported SPF from 40.6 to 80.8. This is a booster result, not SPF from fish bones alone. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering paper. |
| 2023 | Fishery-by-product calcium phosphate assessed in aquatic-toxicity tests and a life-cycle comparison | The material was reported as a 53:47 hydroxyapatite-to-beta-tricalcium-phosphate mixture. No adverse effects were observed for four tested aquatic species at the tested concentrations; EC/LC50 values were above 100 mg/L. Science of the Total Environment paper. |
| 2026 | Hydroxyapatite from skipjack, tongol, and salmon bones, tested alone and with Tinosorb S | Ten percent hydroxyapatite alone gave negligible UV protection; hybrid formulas containing 5% hydroxyapatite and 5% Tinosorb S improved measured SPF and UVAPF. A refined salmon-derived formulation reported SPF of approximately 35. Cosmetics paper. |
What the numbers do—and do not—show
SPF depends on the whole formula
The 2017 result of SPF up to 4.1 concerns the particular creams tested in that study. The higher 2022 and 2026 SPF figures came from hybrid formulas containing other UV filters, not from fish-bone minerals used alone. Different ingredients, concentrations, preparation methods, and test endpoints prevent a direct comparison as if these were competing versions of one sunscreen.
UVA ratings, critical wavelength, and UVAPF are distinct measures
The 2014 five-star claim is a Boots-system UVA rating. Critical wavelength is another measure of UV coverage, while UVAPF estimates protection specifically against UVA. An SPF figure alone does not tell readers the value of these other measurements, and the measures cannot be substituted for one another.
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Environmental tests have defined limits
The 2023 study’s aquatic tests and life-cycle assessment apply to the material, species, concentrations, and comparisons it examined. They do not establish that every fish-bone ingredient or finished sunscreen is harmless to aquatic life, environmentally superior, or comprehensively safe for people.
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The studies described experimental materials and lab-formulated creams; they do not establish that any of these fish-bone sunscreen formulations is available for retail purchase. Nor do laboratory measurements establish how a formula would perform during everyday wear, after swimming, or across a broader population. For routine sun protection, choose a commercially available broad-spectrum sunscreen labeled SPF 30 or higher rather than relying on an experimental fish-bone formulation.
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