Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have made a breakthrough discovery in the Pacific cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) that could redefine whitening agents used in food, cosmetics, and paint.
Currently, inorganic nanoparticles like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are extensively used as whitening agents. However, growing health concerns have prompted a search for organic alternatives.
Dr. Ben Palmer and his student Tali Lemcoff have identified an efficient white reflector in Pacific cleaner shrimp, potentially inspiring the production of innovative, organic whitening materials. Their study, published in the esteemed Nature Photonics journal, introduces a new principle in optics, drawn from examining the shrimp’s cuticle and appendages’ white stripes.
These stripes are composed of a super-thin layer of densely packed particles of a molecule called isoxanthopterin. Despite being less than 5 microns thick, this layer produces extreme brightness, making it one of the most efficient and thinnest white materials known. The secret lies in the unique arrangement of molecules within the particles, resembling the structure of a liquid crystal.
“We have learned an entirely new principle from studying an organism,” said Dr. Palmer, highlighting the shrimp’s ability to overcome a significant optical hurdle, setting the stage for the development of new organic whitening materials.