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 UVA rating—not an SPF of five, a consumer review, or proof that a fish-bone sunscreen is sold in stores.
What the five-star result means
The 2014 study reported a cream made with an iron-modified hydroxyapatite material derived from cod-processing waste. Its authors described the cream as a broad sunscreen protector with absorption in both UVA and UVB ranges, and reported a critical wavelength greater than 370 nm. They called its UVA protection five-star under the Boots rating system. The 2014 paper does not describe that result as an SPF rating.
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SPF and UVA ratings describe different aspects of protection. The five-star phrase here refers specifically to the Boots UVA classification reported in the paper; it should not be read as an SPF number or as a retail product rating.
How fish bones became a sunscreen ingredient
Fish bones contain calcium phosphate, including hydroxyapatite. In the 2014 work, researchers treated waste cod bones with iron to create a hydroxyapatite–iron oxide material intended to absorb ultraviolet light. The paper reported photostability and no irritation or erythema in a small human skin assessment. Those are results from that study, not proof of long-term or population-wide safety.
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What later studies tested
Subsequent research explored different fish sources and formulations. These results are not directly interchangeable: some papers studied bone-derived material as a UV-absorbing ingredient, while others tested it as a booster alongside established UV filters.
| Study | Material and role | Reported result |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 preparation study | Cod-bone hydroxyapatite–iron oxide; iron treatment and powder processing were varied for use in cream. | SPF up to 4.1, critical wavelength 388–389 nm, and UVA/UVB ratios close to 1, as reported by the study authors. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 2017 |
| 2022 calcium-phosphate booster study | Fish-bone calcium phosphates tested with organic UV filters, including octocrylene. | With 20.0 wt% octocrylene, CaP-N was reported to raise SPF from 40.6 to 80.8. This was a booster formulation, not fish bones providing that SPF on their own. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 2022 |
| 2023 environmental and toxicity study | Fishery-by-product calcium phosphate, described as a 53:47 mixture of hydroxyapatite and beta-tricalcium phosphate. | The authors reported no adverse effects in tests on four aquatic species at the tested concentrations, with EC/LC50 values above 100 mg/L. The paper also compared life-cycle impacts of partial UV-filter substitution with zinc oxide nanoparticles. Science of the Total Environment, 2023 |
| 2026 hydroxyapatite and Tinosorb S study | Hydroxyapatite from skipjack, tongol, and salmon bones tested alone and in hybrid formulations with Tinosorb S. | Ten percent hydroxyapatite alone provided negligible UV protection in the reported tests. A 1:1 hybrid of 5% hydroxyapatite and 5% Tinosorb S increased measured SPF and UVAPF; refined salmon-derived material yielded SPF of approximately 35. Cosmetics, 2026 |
What the results do—and do not—establish
The studies show that fish-bone-derived calcium phosphates are being investigated as sunscreen ingredients. They do not establish one standardized fish-bone formula: fish source, processing, co-ingredients, and measured endpoints vary. SPF, UVAPF, critical wavelength, and a Boots UVA rating are different measurements, so figures from separate studies should not be ranked as if they came from the same test or product.
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The 2023 aquatic tests and life-cycle comparison apply to the material, methods, species, and comparison used in that paper. They do not establish that all fish-bone ingredients are environmentally superior, universally safe, or comprehensively assessed for human health. Likewise, laboratory formulation results do not demonstrate real-world wear performance, water resistance, or broad consumer safety.
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Can you buy sunscreen made from recycled fish bones?
The cited studies provide no evidence that their experimental formulations are available as retail sunscreens. A lab result—whether a five-star UVA classification or a high SPF in a booster formula—is not confirmation of a marketed product. For everyday protection, choose a commercially labeled broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher rather than relying on an experimental fish-bone formulation.
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