Previously, we touched on marine pollution during week 4. For many of us, the marine pollution that we are with is plastic pollution. We assume that marine pollution is only limited to the indirect environmental impacts of our actions. However, we can do so directly too. Unknowingly, a common way in which we pollute the marine environment is through the use of sunscreen.

With the past 2 years of COVID-19 and limited travels, many of us have been taking the time to explore areas of Singapore, one of them being our beaches. This trip to or by the sea means long-term exposure to the sun. For us, that means proper sunscreen protection. Otherwise, exposure to UV rays can cause premature aging of the skin and signs of sun damage such as wrinkles and liver spots. While we spend time swimming around in waters, sunscreen enters the waters directly. Accounting for up to 30% of sunscreen formulations, UV filters are regularly washed into the aquatic environment and thus becoming become emerging contaminants in various environments (Pawlowski et al., 2021). Studies have shown that the toxicity of UV filters induces biological and toxicological responses within marine organisms of various trophic levels, consequently affecting their survival, behavior, growth, development, and reproduction. These effects range from cellular damage to a decrease in fertility and may be transmissible to offspring (Caloni et al., 2021).

In addition, UV filters have been shown to have negative effects on corals. Due to viral infection, certain organic UV filters, such as oxybenzone also known as BP-3 induce coral bleaching and mortality (Danovaro et al., 2008). This was supported by another study in Oahu, Hawaii, whereby BP-3 is commonly found in coastal seawater, sediment, and coral tissue (Mitchelmore et al., 2019). However, there remains a strong need to improve our understanding of the individual and combined effects of UV filters and preservatives.
As we continue to use sunscreen as necessary, one of the simple ways in which we can limit our impact is to wait long enough after applying the sunscreen so it can dry on the skin. This will limit the amount of sunscreen released into the water. Perhaps, keep this in mind the next time you are by the waters!

 

References

Caloni, S., Durazzano, T., Franci, G., & Marsili, L. (2021). Sunscreens’ uv filters risk for coastal marine environment biodiversity: A review. Diversity, 13(8), 374. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13080374

Danovaro, R., Bongiorni, L., Corinaldesi, C., Giovannelli, D., Damiani, E., Astolfi, P., Greci, L., & Pusceddu, A. (2008). Sunscreens cause coral bleaching by promoting viral infections. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(4), 441–447. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.10966

Mitchelmore, C. L., He, K., Gonsior, M., Hain, E., Heyes, A., Clark, C., Younger, R., Schmitt-Kopplin, P., Feerick, A., Conway, A., & Blaney, L. (2019). Occurrence and distribution of UV-filters and other anthropogenic contaminants in coastal surface water, sediment, and coral tissue from Hawaii. Science of The Total Environment, 670, 398–410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.034

Pawlowski, S., Herzog, B., Sohn, M., Petersen‐Thiery, M., & Acker, S. (2021). EcoSun Pass: A tool to evaluate the ecofriendliness of UV filters used in sunscreen products. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 43(2), 201–210. https://doi.org/10.1111/ics.12681