As the summer season draws near and the sun's rays intensify, many beachgoers will be slathering on sun lotion to shield their skin from harmful UV rays. While experts have long advised us to protect our skin, there is now growing concern among scientists that chemicals in sunscreen could be infiltrating the food chain.
Marine scientists are raising alarms about "sunscreen-derived chemicals" and the potential toxicity of compounds found in sunscreens. According to these experts, chemical pollution from such products may be impacting marine life, and they are keen to shed light on this increasingly pressing environmental issue.
With consumers gearing up to stock up on sun protection for the warmer months, recent studies have revealed "significant gaps" in our understanding of the impact of sunscreens on marine ecosystems. The UV filters present in these lotions can make their way into the ocean not only through swimming and other aquatic activities but also when washing towels used after applying sunscreen.
Lead author Anneliese Hodge, PhD researcher at Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Plymouth, said: "This review indicates that current research has only scratched the surface of understanding how these chemicals can affect marine life. What's particularly concerning is that these compounds are considered 'pseudo-persistent pollutants' due to their continuous introduction into marine environments as well as an overall lack of understanding of how these chemicals then interact with others in the sea.
“That’s why it’s so important for us to be researching the effects of these compounds on marine life from all geographical regions – temperate and tropical, including the work we are conducting here at PML and the University of Plymouth on UK marine organisms. We really need to understand how these chemicals interact in the marine environment and if they have the potential to bioaccumulate within the food chain.
“With coastal urbanisation and tourism expected to increase, understanding the full impact of these compounds on marine life is crucial for developing effective environmental protection strategies.”
It's estimated that at least 25% of sunscreen applied by beachgoers washes off while swimming and a single beach with 1,000 visitors could see upwards of 35kg of sunscreen residue per day. Additionally, the practice of showering to rinse off sunscreen is also contributing to this issue.
It's not only sunscreens that are packed with protective ingredients to shield against the sun's UV rays. UV filters are also found in personal care items like shampoos, moisturisers, lipsticks, and shower gels, as well as a range of commercial products such as plastics, rubber, paint, and cement, all to boost light resistance and ward off photodegradation.
Co-author Dr Frances Hopkins, PhD supervisor and marine biogeochemist at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, said: “This review highlights the mindboggling range of sunscreen-derived chemicals that we know are released into coastal marine environments – and demonstrates that our understanding of the effects of these toxic compounds on marine organisms is surprisingly limited.
"Such environments face a range of human-induced stressors, from marine heatwaves and eutrophication to longer-term ocean warming and acidification, so it is vital we understand the additional impact of this pervasive chemical pollution on these already stressed ecosystems."