Reducing the prevalence of chemical UV filters from sunscreen in aquatic environments: Regulatory, public awareness, and other considerations

Behaviorally segmented audiences for managing sunscreen chemical pollution risk in protected coastal natural resource areas

This audience segmentation of visitors at coastal parks in Hawaii and North Carolina addresses an emergent natural resource management concern and risk to aquatic ecosystems: sunscreen chemical pollution. Four audiences were identified that correspond to different behavioral profiles: sunscreen protection tourists, multimodal sun protection tourists, in-state frequent park visitors, and frequent beachgoers who skip sunscreen. The second-largest audience, sunscreen protection tourists, represents 29% of visitors at Cape Lookout National Seashore and 25% at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park. This group ranks of most concern for chemical pollution because they use sunscreen, but not typically mineral formulations or other methods such as protective clothing, and they have lower levels of sunscreen chemical issue awareness. The identification of similar audience segments across regions with differing cultural characteristics and sunscreen regulation status suggests the robustness of the model and its indicator variables, with implications for both environmental protection and public health. Further, coastal visitors' interest in enacting pro-environmental sun protection behaviors during their next park or beach visit indicates the potential for natural resource managers to holistically address risks in both domains through targeted interventions with audiences of most concern.

Effect of Na and Al doping on ZnO nanoparticles for potential application in sunscreens

This study investigated the environment-friendly production and characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) doped with sodium (Na) and aluminum (Al) metals to decrease the photocatalytic activity of ZnO for use in sunscreen. The metal-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) materials were prepared by the microwave method using extracts of Averrhoa carambola, also known as star fruit, as a reducing agent. The effects of metal-ion doping on the crystal structure, morphology, and optical characteristics of ZnO were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The sun protection factor (SPF) of the sunscreen formulations containing undoped ZnO, Na-doped ZnO (Na/ZnO), and Al-doped ZnO (Al/ZnO) NPs were found to be 10.10, 25.10, and 43.08, respectively. Therefore, Na/ZnO and Al/ZnO showed increased SPF. Additionally, the prepared nanomaterials and sunscreens were effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and showed antioxidant activities. The methylene blue (MB) degradation was used to evaluate the photocatalytic activities of the undoped ZnO, Na/ZnO, and Al/ZnO NPs, which were found to be 66%, 46%, and 38%, respectively. Therefore, due to the structural defects of ZnO NPs, their photocatalytic activity was decreased with Na- and Al- doping. Additionally, Al/ZnO is an ideal candidate as an ingredient in sunscreens.

UV filters and their impact on marine life: state of the science, data gaps, and next steps

Sunscreens containing broad-spectrum ultraviolet (UV) filters play an essential role in protecting the skin against the damage induced by sun overexposure. However, the widespread use of sunscreens and other personal care products containing these filters has led to these compounds being widely detected in the environment and being identified as emerging pollutants in marine waters. Concerns raised by laboratory studies investigating the potential impact of UV filters on coral communities have already led to bans on the use of some sunscreens in a few tourist hotspots. Although UV filter pollution may be just one of the many environmental factors impacting coral health worldwide, the media attention surrounding these studies and the legislative changes may lead patients to question dermatologists about the environmental safety of some sunscreen products. This review provides an overview of current knowledge on the impact of UV filters on marine ecosystems, concentrating on recent studies examining the effects of commonly used filters on organisms at low trophic levels and of how alternative approaches, such as metabolomics, can be used to further assess UV filter ecotoxicity. Current gaps in our knowledge are also discussed, most notably the need to increase our understanding of the longer-term fate and behaviour of UV filters in the marine environment, develop more adapted standardized ecotoxicity tests for a wider range of marine species, and evaluate the impact of UV filters on the marine food web. We then discuss future perspectives for the development of new, more environmentally friendly, filters that may enable the use of the most toxic compounds to be reduced without compromising the effectiveness of sunscreen formulations. Finally, we consider how dermatologists play a key role in educating patients on the need for a balanced approach to sun exposure, sun protection, and conservation of the marine environment.

Sunscreen filter octocrylene is a potential obesogen by acting as a PPARγ partial agonist

Octocrylene (OC) is an extensively prescribed organic ultraviolet B filter used in sunscreen products. Due to its extensive use, a significant level of OC is detected in marine and freshwater environments. Notably, the bioaccumulation of OC in aquatic biota may affect human health. In this study, the effect of OC on metabolism was investigated using the adipogenesis model of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs). OC promoted adiponectin production during adipogenesis in hBM-MSCs compared to the vehicle-treated control (EC₅₀, 29.6 μM). In target identification, OC directly bound to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ (Ki, 37.8 μM). OC-bound PPARγ also significantly recruited nuclear receptor coactivator proteins SRC-1 (EC₅₀, 54.1 μM) and SRC-2 (EC₅₀, 58.6 μM). In the molecular docking simulation study, the optimal ligand-binding mode of OC suggested that OC is a PPARγ partial agonist. A competitive analysis with a PPARγ full agonist pioglitazone revealed that OC acted as a PPARγ partial agonist. OC altered the gene transcription profile of lipid-metabolism associated enzymes in normal human keratinocytes, primarily exposed human cells after the application of sunscreens. In conclusion, OC is a potential metabolic disrupting obesogen.