Water can be used as an ecological lubricant base if it is possible to select additives which can beneficially modify its tribological and corrosion properties. Additionally, those additives should not be harmful to human health and the natural environment. These conditions limit or even eliminate the possibility for the application of the additives used in traditional oil bases as they are insoluble in water and often toxic. Alkyl polyglucosides (APGs) have been suggested as additives improving lubricating properties of water. They are biodegradable and do not have to be recycled. They exhibit surface activity. They produce micelles at low concentration and lyotropic liquid crystals at high concentration. Two types of alkyl polyglucosides differing in alkyl chain lengths and degrees of polymerization were used in this investigation. Tribological tests were carried out using a ball-on-disc T-11 tester. The balls were made of steel, whereas the discs were made of steel, aluminium oxide, zirconium oxide, polyamide and poly(methyl methacrylate). The description of the device and the methods has been given in the literature (Szczerek and Tuszyński in TriboTest 8:273–284, 2002). The addition of APGs improves the lubricating properties of water. The relative decrease in motion resistance and wear depends both on the type of friction couple and on the kind of alkyl polyglucoside used. The tribological test results obtained were correlated with the activity of APGs measured as wettability of friction couples by their solutions.

Surfactants, which are the basic ingredients in washing cosmetics, can cause skin irritation. In the case of washing cosmetics intended for children, it is necessary to select the composition in such a way as to ensure maximum reduction or even elimination of the irritant effect of the final product. The paper attempts to improve the safety of bath cosmetics for children by introducing: collagen amino acids (150 Da), hydrolysed collagen (12000 Da) and soluble collagen (300 000 Da). Zein value, bovine albumin, and human keratinocyte cell line studies have shown a significant decrease in the irritant potential of the compositions following the introduction of the proposed additives, which is more pronounced with the increase in the molecular weight of marine collagen. An important part of this work is a mechanism proposed by the authors, according to which the addition of the proposed additives can increase safety of the application of cosmetics for children.

The study addressed the effect of the structure of silicone polyethers on selected functional properties of cotton fabric rinsed in conditioners containing the additives under study. Fabric softener formulations containing two comb-structured compounds (PEG/PPG-14/0 Dimethicone and PEG/PPG-20/20 Dimethicone) and one block-structured compound (Bis-PEG/PPG-20/20 Dimethicone) were developed. Cotton fabric rinsed in conditioners containing silicone glycols was not found to be affected by yellowing. However, differences were noted in the softening ability and re-wettability of rinsed fabrics due to diverse structures of the additives used. The most desirable soft hand effect was observed after cotton rinsing in fabric softeners containing the block-structured compound Bis-PEG/PPG-20/20 Dimethicone. In contrast, the highest fabric re-wettability was shown for the conditioner enriched with a comb-structured compound (PEG/PPG-20/20 Dimethicone). The study results demonstrate that the prototypical fabric softeners containing silicone derivatives have a potential to provide quality characteristic required by consumers of this product group.

The aim of the study is to demonstrate the effect of the addition of vegetable oils rich in EFA on the effectiveness of hydrophobic skin protection preparations intended for work in the wet environment. The research hypothesis assumes that the increase in the concentration of vegetable oils in the formula of protective preparations improves their spreadability on the skin, thus translating into acceptance of the preparations by users, improving their quality of life, strengthening the barrier functions of the skin without reducing the effectiveness of the protective action. The distribution capacity of pure vegetable oils is determined using instrumental analysis and sensory analysis. Also, TEWL tests are used to evaluate their occlusal properties. For protective preparations based on them, the distribution capacity is tested by in vitro methods as well as in vivo tests and sensory analyses are performed. The effectiveness of the tested preparations is measured by tests concerning absorbability, occlusion capacity and washability. The results are analyzed and compared, and a correlation matrix is developed to establish the relationship between sensory and instrumental measurements. The effectiveness of the preparations depends on the type of oil (its spreadability and viscosity) and the amount in the formulation. Practical Applications: For hydrophobic preparations of ointment type, there is a possibility to implement such instrumental techniques as: determination of preparation consistency by means of a cone, ability to distribute by means of parallel plates, but also determination of preparation viscosity by rheological methods. Viscosity, spreading ability, and oil occlusion ability are the most important parameters that should be taken into account when we design hydrophobic skin protection preparations intended for the works in the wet environment.

The effect of a sulfonic acid derivative of alkyl polyglucosides on the safety of hand dishwashing liquids was assessed. In this study, it was found that an increase in the concentration of the natural origin raw material in samples led to a decrease in the zein number, and reduced changes in the pH level of bovine serum albumin solution, compared to a reference sample formulated without these compounds. These findings suggest a high level of reduction in the skin‐irritation effect after applying hand dishwashing liquids. In addition, the application of this type of anionic surfactants in products decreases their ability to emulsify fats. Consequently, the skin‐drying effect produced by the washing process and removal of protective epidermal lipids may be significantly reduced.