My impression has been that research doesnt actually support the concerns about sunscreen harming reefs, and that it was like one paper, the conclusions from which haven’t been supported by wider reaseach? I could totally be wrong, I don’t remember details very well
Are we thinking of the same thing? Not sure if there’s another aquatic life impact people are concerned about with UV filters used in sunscreen
“We examined the effects of oxybenzone on the larval form (planula) of the coral Stylophora pistillata, as well as its toxicity in vitro to coral cells from this and six other coral species.
Oxybenzone is a photo-toxicant; adverse effects are exacerbated in the light. Whether in darkness or light, oxybenzone transformed planulae from a motile state to a deformed, sessile condition.
Planulae exhibited an increasing rate of coral bleaching in response to increasing concentrations of oxybenzone. Oxybenzone is a genotoxicant to corals, exhibiting a positive relationship between DNA-AP lesions and increasing oxybenzone concentrations. Oxybenzone is a skeletal endocrine disruptor; it induced ossification of the planula, encasing the entire planula in its own skeleton.”
As with all toxicological issues, the dose makes the poison
I have not read the research on oxybenzone specifically but “endocrine disruptor” tends to be a favorite claim for folks making unsubstantiated claims that some cosmetics ingredient is actually hazardous, and that need to be afraid of it
I don’t know if theres a meaningful body of evidence to suggest that there are potential health problems caused by it, I would be curious to see if I can find a meta analysis on the subject, or at least systematic review so I can get a sense for the consensus, but I do find myself generally being skeptical of just about any claim that something used topically is a endocrine disruptor, since it feels it almost always turns up to be a distortion of facts when you go digging into the consensus presented by the research
Because I am specifically thinking it may have been a paper that researchers dont feel reflect the broader body of evidence, I’d probably consider a meta analysis or systematic review more meaningful thank just one paper, as that paper may be the one I’m thinking of that is regarded as not accurately portraying the risk
I might be entirely mixed up, I may try to go looking for what I’m thinking of. If I do I’ll try to provide an update
Is this one of the ones that don’t kill fish?
My impression has been that research doesnt actually support the concerns about sunscreen harming reefs, and that it was like one paper, the conclusions from which haven’t been supported by wider reaseach? I could totally be wrong, I don’t remember details very well
Are we thinking of the same thing? Not sure if there’s another aquatic life impact people are concerned about with UV filters used in sunscreen
This paper isn’t free at the link but you can read the abstract, partially quoted below:
Toxicopathological Effects of the Sunscreen UV Filter, Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3), on Coral Planulae and Cultured Primary Cells and Its Environmental Contamination in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands
“We examined the effects of oxybenzone on the larval form (planula) of the coral Stylophora pistillata, as well as its toxicity in vitro to coral cells from this and six other coral species. Oxybenzone is a photo-toxicant; adverse effects are exacerbated in the light. Whether in darkness or light, oxybenzone transformed planulae from a motile state to a deformed, sessile condition. Planulae exhibited an increasing rate of coral bleaching in response to increasing concentrations of oxybenzone. Oxybenzone is a genotoxicant to corals, exhibiting a positive relationship between DNA-AP lesions and increasing oxybenzone concentrations. Oxybenzone is a skeletal endocrine disruptor; it induced ossification of the planula, encasing the entire planula in its own skeleton.”
Also there’s this: 11/19/21-MAUI COUNTY COUNCIL PASSES HISTORIC BILL PROHIBITING NON-MINERAL SUNSCREENS
Oxybenzone is toxic to people by the way, it’s an endocrine disruptor. Which is bad.
As with all toxicological issues, the dose makes the poison
I have not read the research on oxybenzone specifically but “endocrine disruptor” tends to be a favorite claim for folks making unsubstantiated claims that some cosmetics ingredient is actually hazardous, and that need to be afraid of it
I don’t know if theres a meaningful body of evidence to suggest that there are potential health problems caused by it, I would be curious to see if I can find a meta analysis on the subject, or at least systematic review so I can get a sense for the consensus, but I do find myself generally being skeptical of just about any claim that something used topically is a endocrine disruptor, since it feels it almost always turns up to be a distortion of facts when you go digging into the consensus presented by the research
Because I am specifically thinking it may have been a paper that researchers dont feel reflect the broader body of evidence, I’d probably consider a meta analysis or systematic review more meaningful thank just one paper, as that paper may be the one I’m thinking of that is regarded as not accurately portraying the risk
I might be entirely mixed up, I may try to go looking for what I’m thinking of. If I do I’ll try to provide an update