Effects of Sunscreen UV Filters on Marine species and in Food chain

The organic ultraviolet filters T(UVFs) such as oxybenzone, avobenzone and octocrylene is a major contaminant which can cause effects to the aquatic systems and aquatic habitats.

- Monikandon Sukumaran and Kesavan Devarayan

These contaminants are the active ingredients of sunscreen, personal care products and plastic materials. The secondary entry of the UVFs are through the recreational coastal areas. When the users of sunscreen are active in the coastal waters, these UVFs find the way to enter the ocean water via leaching. The UVFs are found to be the emerging contaminants that degrade the aquatic environments. These compounds are used due their stabilization and coaction with the other UVFs. These are majorly used by pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care manufacturing industries in their products to protect the skin of the users against damage from UV-A and UV-B radiation.

UVFs Source and its interaction in aquatic environment T