The active ingredients found in sunscreen have detrimental effects on freshwater ecosystems, according to new research by University of Alberta biologists.
The active ingredients found in sunscreen have detrimental effects on freshwater ecosystems, according to new research by University of Alberta biologists.
The results show that long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) filters—including avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octocrylene—is lethal for some organisms living in freshwater environments. One of the largest sources of UV-filter contamination in both marine and freshwater environments is from sunscreen leaching off of the skin while swimming.
“We do know that UV filters are particularly devastating to coral reefs and cause bleaching, but there has been almost no research on what the effects are to freshwater animals,” explained Aaron Boyd, graduate student in the Faculty of Science and lead author on the study. “To address this, we examined the effects of UV filters in the water flea, Daphnia magna.”
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Image via University of Alberta.
