Applied botanical chemistry and systems-based research exploring bioavailability, phytochemical interactions, and real-world functional outcomes.
Scientific Research, Publications & Preprints
A curated selection of research papers, preprints, and technical work exploring applied botanical and solution chemistry across health-focused formulation science and environmentally compatible extraction systems.
Botanical Systems Research: Chemical Foundations to Engineered Outcomes
Research by Bruce A. Cosgrove
Bruce A. Cosgrove is an independent scientific researcher in botanical chemistry and hydrometallurgy. • 11 Scientific Publications & Outputs • Botanical Systems Science • Mercury-Free Extraction Systems • Metabolic & Inflammation Modulation
Research Structure → Systems Overview
From Research to Application
This body of research spans two principal applications of Applied Botanical Chemistry: health-focused Botanical Systems Formulations™ and environmentally focused Mercury-Free Extraction Systems. Both are informed by Botanical Systems™ Science, which examines plant-derived chemistry through compound interactions, solution behavior, bioavailability, system architecture, and functional application.
Within the health-focused research domain, these research principles are translated into structured botanical formulation protocols exploring practical applications in healthy aging, metabolic resilience, and botanical systems design
🌿 Wine Chemistry Explained: Polyphenols, Terroir, and Botanical Systems Science
Cosgrove, B. A., Publication Preprint posted June 2026 — Zenodo
Research Domain: Botanical Systems™ Science & Phytochemical Chemistry
Summary:
This paper examines wine as a multi-component botanical chemical system composed of water, ethanol, polyphenols, organic acids, minerals, and volatile metabolites that collectively influence its physicochemical properties and biological activity.
It examines how polyphenol interactions, microbial transformation, mineral composition, and environmental inputs contribute to the behavior of wine as an integrated phytochemical system. Wine therefore provides a real-world model for examining phytochemical system behavior and the interactions through which multi-component botanical matrices may influence oxidative, inflammatory, and metabolic processes.
👉 This work provides a phytochemical interaction model relevant to Botanical Systems™ Science and the scientific framework underlying Botanical Systems Formulations™.
DOI:10.5281/zenodo.20767478 →
Structured Record:Wikidata →
Explore:Botanical Systems Formulations™ →
🌿 Why Most “Healthy Drinks” Fail: The Missing Chemistry of Botanical Systems
Cosgrove, B. A., Publication Preprint posted May 2026 — Zenodo
Research Domain: Botanical Systems Formulations™
Summary:
This paper identifies the primary failure modes in functional beverage design, including lack of dose control, absence of compound interaction modeling, and failure to optimize bioavailability and delivery.
It examines why isolated-ingredient approaches may produce inconsistent functional effects when compound interactions, concentration, bioavailability, and delivery are not considered within an integrated formulation framework.
This supports a systems-based approach in which phytochemical interactions, concentration, and delivery are considered together during formulation design.
👉 This work identifies key design constraints addressed within Botanical Systems Formulations™.
DOI:10.5281/zenodo.20319137 →
Structured Record: Wikidata →
Explore: Botanical Systems Formulations™ →
🌿 Botanical Formulations for Healthy Aging and Metabolic Resilience
Cosgrove, B. A., Research Paper posted April 2026 — Food Chemistry eJournal (SSRN)
Research Domain: Botanical Systems Formulations™
Summary:
This paper presents a systems-level framework for integrating phytochemicals, organic acids, and mineral cofactors within botanical formulations designed around inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic function.
It examines how coordinated botanical compounds may interact with biological processes involving signaling pathways, gut microbiome dynamics, and cellular energy systems, emphasizing structured interaction rather than isolated ingredient effects.
This defines a structured framework for designing multi-target botanical formulations intended to support metabolic resilience, inflammation modulation, and healthy-aging applications.
👉 This work establishes the core health-focused system architecture underlying Botanical Systems Formulations™.
DOI:10.2139/ssrn.6451478 →
Structured Record: Wikidata →
Explore the full framework behind Botanical Systems Formulations™ fo Health Optimization →
Translating plant chemistry into structured systems frameworks for functional design and application
Mercury-Free Extraction Systems
These papers establish: • Alternative lixiviant chemistry • Lower-toxicity gold recovery pathways • Industrial-scale system design Systems-level principles used to examine chemical interactions, solution behavior, and process design also extend to environmentally compatible extraction chemistry.
🌉 Botanical Alternatives: Toward Safer, Evidence-Based Gold Recovery
Cosgrove, B. A., Publication Preprint posted February 2026 — ResearchGate
Research Domain: Botanical Lixiviant & Mercury-Free Extraction Systems
Summary:
This paper examines plant-derived lixiviant systems as functional chemical agents with the potential to replace mercury and cyanide in selected gold extraction processes.
Furthermore, it examines how naturally occurring compounds may participate in metal-complexation chemistry relevant to gold extraction and their potential to reduce reliance on conventional toxic reagents.
👉 This work extends applied botanical chemistry into environmental and industrial extraction systems through the investigation of plant-derived lixiviants.
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.19442.77769 →
Structured Record: Wikidata →
⚗️ A Review and Sustainable Alternative to Sodium-Based and Cyanide-Containing Gold Leaching Agents: Glycine–Thiosulfate Hybrid System
Cosgrove, B. A., Research Paper posted November 2025 — Sustainable Technology eJournal (SSRN)
Research Domain: Alternative Extraction Chemistry Systems
Summary:
This paper develops a hybrid ligand system combining glycine and thiosulfate as an alternative approach to gold complexation and recovery and examines the potential of alternative chemical systems to achieve effective gold extraction without reliance on cyanide while improving environmental and occupational compatibility.
This provides a chemical framework for investigating structured, lower-toxicity alternatives to conventional cyanide-based hydrometallurgical processes.
👉 This work contributes to the alternative extraction chemistry foundation of Mercury-Free Extraction Systems.
DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.5801183 →
Structured Record: Wikidata →
View: Botanical Extraction Systems →
Establishing the chemical and environmental foundations of plant-based systems and extraction science
Foundational Research and Early Systems Development
These papers collectively define the chemical and systems-level foundation of mercury-free extraction systems using structured botanical and alternative chemistry approaches as functional design inputs. These early works establish the chemical and environmental foundation for plant-based extraction and systems-level thinking.
⚗️ Ecuador Four-Stage Action Plan for Botanical Lixiviant Systems
Cosgrove, B. A., Technical Presentation preprint posted January 2026 - ResearchGate
Research Domain: Applied Botanical Extraction & Implementation Systems
Summary:
This paper outlines a structured, multi-stage transition strategy for implementing botanical lixiviant systems in artisanal mining environments.
It integrates chemical process design, operational adaptation, and economic considerations into a unified deployment framework which provides a framework for translating laboratory-scale systems toward field, industrial, and community-level applications.
👉 This work defines an implementation pathway for translating botanical extraction chemistry into environmental and industrial applications.
DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.10793.66400 →
Structured Record: Wikidata →
Explore: Mercury-Free Botanical Gold Recovery →
Professional Perspectives
Independent Expert Perspectives
Professional perspectives on the scientific, environmental, and practical significance of research into alternatives to mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
⚗️ An Examination, Solution, and Transformative Strategy to Replace Mercury and Cyanide Salts in Artisanal Small-Scale Mining (ASM): Southern Ecuador
Cosgrove, B. A., & Moreno-Chavez, J., Research Paper posted January 2025 - Environmental Chemistry eJournal (SSRN)
Research Domain: Mercury-Free Extraction & Environmental Systems™
Summary:
This paper provides a system-level analysis of mercury and cyanide use in artisanal gold mining and proposes a replacement strategy based on alternative chemical systems.
It integrates extraction chemistry, environmental impact reduction, and health considerations within a unified framework relevant to artisanal and small-scale gold-mining applications which presents a structured pathway for reducing reliance on mercury- and cyanide-based extraction methods through alternative chemical systems.
👉 This work examines the broader application of alternative extraction chemistry to mercury- and cyanide-reduction strategies in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
DOI:10.2139/ssrn.5049829 →
Structured Record: Wikidata →
Explore: Mercury-Free Botanical Gold Recovery Systems →
Collectively, these publications demonstrate interconnected applications of Applied Botanical Chemistry across health-focused Botanical Systems Formulations™ and environmentally focused Mercury-Free Extraction Systems, informed by systems-level principles of botanical and solution chemistry.