Environmental behavior of 12 UV filters and photocatalytic profile of ethyl-4-aminobenzoate

Unveiling the toxic effects, physiological responses and molecular mechanisms of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) in exposure to organic ultraviolet filters

Exposure to organic ultraviolet (UV) filters has raised concerns due to their potential adverse effects on environments. However, their toxic mechanisms on plants remain elusive. In this study, using integrative physiological and transcriptomic approaches we investigated the physiological and molecular responses to three representative UV filters, namely oxybenzone (OBZ), avobenzone (AVB), and octinoxate (OMC), in an agricultural model plant tobacco. The exposure to UV filters disrupts the functionality of photosystem reaction centers and the light-harvesting apparatus. Concurrently, UV filters exert a suppressive effect on the expression of genes encoding Rubisco and Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes, resulting in a decreased efficiency of the Calvin-Benson cycle and consequently hampering the process of photosynthesis. Exposure to UV filters leads to significant generation of reactive oxygen species within tobacco leaves and downregulation of oxidoreductase activities. Moreover, UV filters promote abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation by inducing the expression of ABA biosynthesis genes whereas repress indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) biosynthesis gene expression, which induce leaf yellowing and slow plant growth. In summary, the organic UV filters exert toxic effects on tobacco growth by inhibiting chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthesis, and the Calvin-Benson cycle, while generating excessive reactive oxygen species. This study sheds light on the toxic and tolerance mechanisms of UV filters in agricultural crops.

Degradation of organic UV filters in the water environment: A concise review on the mechanism, toxicity, and technologies

Organic ultraviolet filters (OUVFs) have been used globally for the past 20 years. Given that OUVFs can be quickly released from sunscreens applied on human skins, they have been frequently detected in aquatic environments and organisms. Some byproducts of OUVFs might be more recalcitrant and toxic than their parent compounds. To further assess the toxicity and potential risk of OUVFs' byproducts, it is necessary to determine the fate of OUVFs and identify their transformation products. This review summarizes and analyzes pertinent literature and reports in the field of OUVFs research. These published research works majorly focus on the degradation mechanisms of OUVFs in aquatic environments, their intermediates/byproducts, and chlorination reaction. Photodegradation (direct photolysis, self-sensitive photolysis and indirect photolysis) and biodegradation are the main transformation pathways of OUVFs through natural degradation. To remove residual OUVFs' pollutants from aqueous environments, novel physicochemical and biological approaches have been developed in recent years. Advanced oxidation, ultrasound, and bio-based technologies have been proven to eliminate OUVFs from wastewaters. In addition, the disinfection mechanism and the byproducts (DBPs) of various OUVFs in swimming pools are discussed in this review. Besides, knowledge gaps and future research directions in this field of study are also mentioned.

Occurrence and ecological risk assessment of organic UV filters in coastal waters of the Iberian Peninsula

This study aimed to assess the presence of 21 UVFs and metabolites in coastal regions of the Iberian Peninsula, to evaluate their environmental risk, and identify possible influential factors affecting their measured concentrations. Sampling was carried out in spring and summer to assess possible seasonal variations. UVFs were detected in 43 of the 46 sampling sites. Only 5 were found above LOD: BP4, OC, BP3 and metabolites BP1 and BP8. Samples collected in Mar Menor had the greatest variety of compounds per sample and the highest cumulative concentrations. The risk was characterized using Risk Quotients (RQ). BP1 showed a Low environmental Risk in 2 sites while for OC the RQ indicated a Moderate Risk in 22 points. The variables that contribute most to the variation are population density, sampling season, whether it was an open bay or not, and level of urbanization. The presence of WWTPs had a lower influence.

Salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction combined with LC-MS/MS for the simultaneous determination of seven organic UV filters in environmental water samples: method development and application

Organic UV filters (OUVFs), the active ingredient in sunscreens, are of environmental concern due to reported ecotoxicological effects in aquatic biota. Determining the environmental concentrations of these chemicals is essential for understanding their fate and potential environmental risk. Salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) coupled with liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for simultaneous extraction, separation, and quantification of seven OUVFs (2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone, 2,2',4,4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, butyl-methoxy-dibenzoyl methane, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate, and oxybenzone). Method detection limits (MDLs) ranged from 11 to 45 ng/L and practical quantification limits (PQLs) from 33 to 135 ng/L. Method trueness, evaluated in terms of recovery, was 69-127%. Inter-day and intra-day variability was < 6% RSD. The coefficients of determination were > 0.97. The method was applied to river and seawater samples collected at 19 sites in and near Port Phillip Bay, Australia, and temporal variation in OUVF concentrations was studied at two sites. Concentrations of OUVF were detected at 10 sites; concentrations of individual OUVFs were 51-7968 ng/L, and the maximum total OUVF concentration detected at a site was 8431 ng/L. Recreational activity and water residence time at the site contributed to OUVF's environmental presence and persistence. The benefits of the SALLE-LC-MS/MS method include its simple operation, good selectivity, precision over a wide linear range, and that obtained extracts can be directly injected into the LC-MS/MS, overall making it an attractive method for the determination of these OUVFs in environmental water matrices. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence of OUVFs in Port Phillip Bay, Australia.

Status quo on identified transformation products of organic ultraviolet filters and their persistence

Organic micropollutants of concern-including organic UV filters (UVF)-are getting increasing attention. Personal care products such as sunscreens or cosmetic articles often contain large quantities of UVF. These substances enter the environment either directly (during outdoor activities) or indirectly (via sewages from households). Therefore, the removal or degradation of UVF by natural or technical treatment processes is important to understand. UVF are often incompletely removed and transformed to side products of incomplete mineralization by abiotic and biotic processes. An extensive overview on transformation products (TPs) is essential to systematically identify knowledge gaps and to derive research needs. While there are many reviews on the UVF themselves, the number of reviews which focus on their TPs is limited. Consequently, this review gives an overview on the latest findings regarding TPs of UVF. In this publication, known TPs of UVF, which were formed during abiotic and biotic processes, are reviewed. Target substances were defined and a literature database was reviewed for studies on TPs of the target substances. The first list of studies was shortened stepwise, thus generating a final list of studies which contained only the relevant studies. Since biodegradation is one of the most important pathways for removal of organic compounds from the environment, this review presents an overview on known TPs of organic UVF and their biodegradability, which determines their environmental fate. In this way, all identified TPs of UVF were listed and checked for information on their biodegradability. A total of 2731 records of studies were assessed. Forty-two studies, which assessed 46 processes that lead to the formation of identified TPs, were included in this review. One hundred and seventyseven different TPs resulting from 11 different UVF were identified. Little to no data on the biodegradability was found for TPs. This indicates a severe lack of data on the biodegradability of TPs of organic UVF substances. Since most TPs lack information on biodegradability, further research should provide information on both-identity and biodegradability-of formed TPs to be able to assess their hazardousness for the environment.

Turning the tide on turnover: The impact of empowering leadership on the work-family spillover of managers

The aim of this study is to examine the direct and indirect relationships between empowering leadership (EL), work-family spillover and manager turnover intentions, and to explore the moderating impact of perceived organizational support (POS) on these relationships. The study collected data from 220 participants-middle-level managers and their immediate subordinates working in hotels and tourism-related enterprises in central China. The results highlighted a significant relationship between EL and work-family positive spillover (WFPS) and manager turnover intentions, whereas the mediating effect of work-family negative spillover (WFNS) was found to be insignificant. The results further indicated that POS exerted a significant moderating impact on the association between EL and manager turnover intentions, and a significant mediating impact on WFPS. The study also determined that neither the mediating impact of WFNS nor the relationship between EL and WFNS was affected by POS. The study provides a unique perspective on empowering leadership based on the Conservation of Resources theory, and contributes to the understanding of its effects on manager turnover intentions.

Environmental impacts of the ultraviolet filter oxybenzone

Organic UV filters are emerging contaminants with increasing evidence of their negative impact on environmental health and water quality. One of the most common and environmentally relevant organic UV filters is oxybenzone (OBZ). While much of the initial focus has been on investigating the interaction of OBZ with coral reefs, there have been several recent studies that indicate that organic UV filters are affecting other environmental endpoints, including marine animals, algae, and plants. OBZ has been found to bioaccumulate in marine animals such as fish and mussels and then potentially acting as an endocrine disruptor. In plants, exposure to OBZ has been associated with decreased photosynthesis, inhibited seed germination, and impaired plant growth. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the environmental impacts of OBZ and suggest potential future directions.

Distribution in marine fish and EDI estimation of contaminants of emerging concern by vortex-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion and HPLC-MS/MS

Due to their persistence or continuous discharge, toxic substances are present in the aquatic environment, and can bioaccumulate and biomagnify in the food web, generating a significant ecological risk and a threat to human health. The present study assess the occurrence and tissue (muscle, liver, stomach and gills) distribution of 59 anthropogenic contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in marine fish from Brazil. A simpler and faster analytical methodology based on vortex-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion (VA-MSPD) and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed and validated. Limits of quantification ranged from 3.31 to 114 ng g^-1 dw with recovery rates between 60 and 140 % and relative standard deviation below 20 %. The ultraviolet filters 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4HB) (benzophenone-3 metabolite) and benzocaine (Et-PABA), and the antibacterial salicylic acid were frequently accumulated in muscle and liver at concentrations between 39.5 and 21.0 ngg^-1 dw. The determined concentrations resulted to be lower than the tolerable daily intake recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Visible Light-Driven Advanced Oxidation Processes to Remove Emerging Contaminants from Water and Wastewater: a Review

The scientific data review shows that advanced oxidation processes based on the hydroxyl or sulfate radicals are of great interest among the currently conventional water and wastewater treatment methods. Different advanced treatment processes such as photocatalysis, Fenton's reagent, ozonation, and persulfate-based processes were investigated to degrade contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) such as pesticides, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, disinfectants, dyes, and estrogenic substances. This article presents a general overview of visible light-driven advanced oxidation processes for the removal of chlorfenvinphos (organophosphorus insecticide), methylene blue (azo dye), and diclofenac (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug). The following visible light-driven treatment methods were reviewed: photocatalysis, sulfate radical oxidation, and photoelectrocatalysis. Visible light, among other sources of energy, is a renewable energy source and an excellent substitute for ultraviolet radiation used in advanced oxidation processes. It creates a high application potential for solar-assisted advanced oxidation processes in water and wastewater technology. Despite numerous publications of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), more extensive research is needed to investigate the mechanisms of contaminant degradation in the presence of visible light. Therefore, this paper provides an important source of information on the degradation mechanism of emerging contaminants. An important aspect in the work is the analysis of process parameters affecting the degradation process. The initial concentration of CECs, pH, reaction time, and catalyst dosage are discussed and analyzed. Based on a comprehensive survey of previous studies, opportunities for applications of AOPs are presented, highlighting the need for further efforts to address dominant barriers to knowledge acquisition.

Enhanced photocatalytic treatment using plasmonic Ag@Ag3PO4/Ag@AgCl nanophotocatalyst for simultaneous degradation of multiple parabens and UV-filters in various aquatic environments under visible light irradiation

In this study, simultaneous photocatalytic degradation of different parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butyl paraben) and UV filters (benzophenone-3, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, 2-ethylhexyl 4-(dimethylamino) benzoate, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and octocrylene) in water matrices was performed under visible light irradiation using novel double plasmonic Ag^@Ag₃PO₄/Ag^@AgCl nanophotocatalyst, synthesized by an easy and fast photochemical conversion and photo-reduction. It was found that the nanophotocatalyst with appropriate mole ratio of Ag^@Ag₃PO₄/Ag^@AgCl (1:3) showed superior photocatalytic activity than individual plasmonic nanoparticles. This is because there are two simultaneous surface plasmon resonances (SPR) generated by the metallic Ag nanoparticles, in addition to the hetero-junction structure formed at the interface between Ag^@Ag₃PO₄ and Ag^@AgCl. The structures of the synthesized photocatalysts were characterized, and the principal reactive oxygen species in the photocatalytic process were identified via a trapping experiment, confirming superoxide radicals (^∙O₂^-) as the key reactive species of the photocatalytic system. The process of photodegradation of the target pollutants was monitored using an optimized method that incorporated solid-phase extraction in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The simultaneous photodegradation process was modeled and optimized using central composite design. The kinetic study revealed that the degradation process over Ag^@Ag₃PO_{4 (30%)}/Ag^@AgCl _(70%) under visible light followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The simultaneous degradation of target compounds was further investigated in sewage treatment plant effluent as well as tap water. It was found that the matrix constituents can reduce the photodegradation efficiency, especially in the case of highly contaminated samples.

Comparative physicochemical properties and toxicity of organic UV filters and their photocatalytic transformation products

Transformation products (TPs) of micropollutants contaminating our water resources have become an emerging issue due to the potential threats they pose to environmental and human health. This study investigated the transformation chemistry, toxicity, physicochemical properties and environmental behavior resulting from photocatalytic transformation of organic UV filters as model micropollutants. 3-Benzylidene camphor (3-BC), 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4-HB) and octocrylene (OC) were effectively degraded by UV-A/TiO₂ treatment, with TPs identified and characterized with high resolution mass spectrometry. Nitrated-TPs were observed to be formed in the presence of nitrite and nitrate for 3-BC and 4-HB, suggesting that the transformation process could be altered by components in the water matrix. Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition assay revealed an increase in toxicity of TPs derived from photocatalytic treatment, with quantitative structure-activity relationship model (ECOSAR) predicted an enhanced toxicity of individual TPs' after transformation. Assessment of physicochemical properties and environmental behavior suggested that TPs as compared to parent organic UV filters, may represent even greater hazards due to their increased water solubility, persistence and mobility - in addition to retaining the parent organic UV filter's toxicity. The results provide important information relevant to the potential risks for the selected organic UV filters, and their corresponding transformation products.

Investigation of simultaneous multiple UV filters degradation efficiency of plasmonic Ag@AgCl photocatalyst in the aquatic environment under sunlight irradiation

UV filters as an important class of emerging organic pollutants are continuously released into and transported between the aquatic environments. So, the removal of these compounds from aquatic environments is of great importance. This study was conducted to evaluate the simultaneous photodegradation of three widely used UV filter compounds (4-methylbenzylidene camphor, 2-ethylhexyl 4-(dimethylamino) benzoate, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate), in an aqueous environment under sunlight and Ag@AgCl photocatalyst integrated with plasmonic effect. The plasmonic Ag@AgCl nanocomposite was constructed via photochemical conversion and photoreduction. The enhanced photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the surface plasmon resonance effect of the silver nanoparticles and the hybrid effect caused by AgCl. For the monitoring of the target compounds' degradation before and after photodegradation, an optimized method based on membrane-protected micro-solid-phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed. The simultaneous degradation of selected UV filters was also further investigated in contaminated real samples (river water) and the results showed that the matrix constituents could diminish the photocatalytic degradation efficiency.

Trends in environmental and toxicity research on organic ultraviolet filters: A scientometric review

In recent decades, the potential toxicological and environmental effects of organic ultraviolet filters (OUVF) have received growing attention. The number of studies in this area has increased; however, presently there is no scientometric perspective addressing this topic. The purpose of this study is to identify the intellectual base and research front using the visualization and analysis software, CiteSpace. We retrieved 453 articles, published in print or online as an early-access article between 2002 and 2020, from the Web of Science with a topic search related to OUVFs, environment, and toxicology. We then analysed synthesized networks of co-authorship (author, institution, country), co-citation (author, document, journal) and co-occurring keywords. The annual publication output has trended upwards since 2002. Authors based in China accounted for 29.4% of the total publications, followed by USA (17.4%); but overall publications from Switzerland and Spain were more influential. Major research themes identified included OUVF concentrations in aquatic environments, and hormonal effects. Emerging themes included improving the sensitivity of analytical detection methods for both OUVFs and their metabolites, consequences of OUVF transport to the marine environment, and concerns over prenatal exposure. Based on keyword analysis, benzophenone-3, 4-methylbenzylidene-camphor, 3-benzylidene camphor, and ethylhexyl-methoxycinnamate are the most studied OUVFs, and effects on estrogenic activity, gene expression, reproduction, and more recently, oxidative stress, have received most attention from a toxicological perspective. Other prominent topics were sources of environmental contamination and ecological risk assessments. This study maps the major research domains of OUVF environmental toxicology research; explanations and implications of the findings are discussed; and emerging trends highlighted.

Degradation of acesulfame in UV/monochloramine process: Kinetics, transformation pathways and toxicity assessment

UV/monochloramine (UV/NH₂Cl) is an emerging advanced oxidation process that can generate various reactive species like reactive chlorine species (RCS) and hydroxyl radicals for micropollutant removal. This study investigated the potential toxicity of transformation products resulting from UV/NH₂Cl treatment of acesulfame (ACE), as an example of micropollutant, found in worldwide aquatic environment. Compared with UV photolysis and chloramination, the UV/NH₂Cl process more effectively degraded ACE. The transformation products of ACE treated with the UV/NH₂Cl process were identified and characterized with high resolution mass spectrometry. The formation of chlorinated-TPs indicated the role of RCS in UV/NH₂Cl transformation even though UV photolysis was predominantly responsible for the ACE degradation. The Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition assay revealed a higher toxicity of TPs derived from UV/NH₂Cl than from UV photolysis. The increased toxicity could be attributed to most of the generated chlorinated-TPs (Cl-TPs), in particular those halo-alcohols. The ECOSAR program predicts that halo-alcohol TPs are more toxic than their non-chlorinated analogues and other Cl-TPs. This study provides insight into the important role of reactive species in the micropollutants' transformation of UV/NH₂Cl process. It further provides information relevant to the potential risk when applying the process for micropollutant removal in water treatment.

Fate of UV filter Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate in rat model and human urine: Metabolism, exposure and demographic associations

Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC) is one of the most frequently used UV filters in sunscreens and other cosmetic products. Its ubiquitous presence in various environmental matrices and its endocrine disrupting properties have been widely reported. However, we know little about the effect of EHMC exposure on humans, mainly due to its fast metabolism. In this study, urine and plasma of EHMC-dosed rats were analysed to identify its major metabolites. Five metabolites were found, with four firstly reported. Two metabolites were putatively identified as 4-methoxycinnamic acid (4-MCA) and 4'-methoxyacetophenone (4'-MAP). Quantitative results revealed that their excretion concentrations were much higher than the parent compound. Because of these high concentrations, for the human biomonitoring study, EHMC and these two metabolites were detected simultaneously in urine samples from Chinese children and adolescents. The results indicated wide exposure to EHMC, 4-MCA and 4'-MAP. The correlation between urinary concentration of EHMC and 4-MCA as well as 4-MCA and 4'-MAP provided important clues as to the sources and metabolic pathways among these three compounds. Several demographic factors were also assessed with the exposure level. As the first human exposure study of EHMC in a Chinese population, this report would help to establish an exposure database facilitating health risk assessment of EHMC.

Degradation of UV Filter Ethyl 4-Aminobenzoate (Et-PABA) Using a UV-Activated Persulfate Oxidation Process

In this paper, the ultraviolet/persulfate (UV/PDS) combined oxidation process was used to remove the ethyl 4-aminobenzoate (Et-PABA), one of the typical 4-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)-type UV filters. The effects of various factors on the removal of Et-PABA using the UV/PDS process were investigated, and the degradation mechanisms of Et-PABA were explored. The results showed that the UV/PDS process can effectively remove 98.7% of Et-PABA within 30 min under the conditions: UV intensity of 0.92 mW·cm−2, an initial concentration of Et-PABA of 0.05 mM, and a PDS concentration of 2 mM. The removal rate of Et-PABA increased with the increase in PDS dosage within the experimental range, whereas humic acid (HA) had an inhibitory effect on Et-PABA removal. Six intermediates were identified based on HPLC–MS and degradation pathways were then proposed. It can be foreseen that the UV/PDS oxidation process has broad application prospects in water treatment.

Urinary concentrations of environmental phenols and their association with type 2 diabetes in a population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

A few epidemiologic studies suggest that exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, little is known about association between other phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and T2DM. In this case-control study, we measured urinary concentrations of 23 phenolic EDCs in 101 individuals from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to examine the association of parabens, antimicrobials, bisphenols, benzophenones and bisphenol A diglycidyl ethers with T2DM. Urine samples were collected from 54 T2DM cases and 47 non-diabetic individuals (controls), aged 28-68 years old, during 2015-2016. Unconditional logistic regression was performed to estimate odd ratios (ORs) for the association between diabetes and EDC exposures after adjusting for confounders including age, gender, nationality, smoking status and occupation. Age from 40 to 59 years (OR 5.56, 95% CI 2.20-14.0) and smoking status (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.25-6.79) showed significant positive associations with T2DM. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that T2DM cases had high urinary levels of parabens (i.e., methyl- (MeP), ethyl- (EtP), propyl- (PrP) and 4-hydroxy benzoic acid (4-HB)), bisphenols (i.e., bisphenols A (BPA) and F (BPF)), and benzophenone (i.e., 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4-OH-BP)) relative to the controls. Individuals in the 4th quartile for urinary concentrations of MeP, EtP, PrP, 4-HB and BPF and in the 3rd quartile for BPA and 4-OH-BP showed over a 6-fold increase in the odds of having diabetes compared with those in the first quartile. Overall, our study shows that urinary levels of multiple phenolic EDCs were associated with increased risk for diabetes. Further prospective studies are required to verify these associations.

Elevated Concentrations of Bisphenols, Benzophenones, and Antimicrobials in Pantyhose Collected from Six Countries

Pantyhose, a skin-tight item of clothing made of synthetic fibers and worn by women in many countries, is a source of exposure to several endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Little is known regarding the occurrence of and dermal exposure to chemicals present in pantyhose. In this study, concentrations and profiles of 23 endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenols, benzophenones, chlorophenols, parabens, and triclocarban (TCC), were determined in 74 pantyhose samples collected from 6 countries. Pantyhose samples were analyzed by two extraction methods: complete dissolution and ultrasonic extraction. Dissolution of the fabric in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol/chloroform yielded concentrations of several target chemicals that were up to 286 times higher than in the ultrasonic extraction. Bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol A (BPA) were found in 100% and 96% of the samples at median concentrations of 1430 and 14.3 ng/g, respectively. Several brands of pantyhose contained BPS, bisphenol F (BPF), benzophenone-1 (BP-1), ethyl-paraben (EtP), and TCC at concentrations of milligrams per gram. Benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 4-hydroxy benzoic acid (4-HB), and methyl- (MeP) and propyl-parabens (PrP) were found in ≥85% of the samples at median concentrations on the order of several tens to hundreds of nanograms per gram of fabric. Pantyhose made in Japan and China with 21-50% Spandex contained the highest concentrations of BPS (2.2 mg/g), BP-1 (2.4 mg/g), and EtP (88 μg/g). Calculated dermal exposure doses to BPS, BP-1, and EtP by women via pantyhose were as high as 45 900, 50 600, and 1800 picograms per kilogram of body weight per day, respectively.

Joint Effects of Multiple UV Filters on Zebrafish Embryo Development

The widespread use of UV filters has resulted in significant amounts of these chemicals appearing not only in the environment but also in organisms. This study first assessed the levels of nine UV filters in waters along the coast of Shenzhen, China, in tapwater, and in a nearby reservoir. UV filters were found to be high, in both winter and summer at most locations. Then, using zebrafish as a model, the influence of a UV filter mixture after dietary and aqueous exposure was assessed. After exposing artemia to three dominant UV filters at two levels and then feeding these artemia to zebrafish adults, concentrations in both were up to 4 times higher when exposed to the mixtures than when exposed to only a single UV filter. A short-term 25-day dietary exposure to the zebrafish adults did not appear to significantly influence early life stage development of the second generation; however, relatively long exposure over 47 days had significant adverse effects on embryo development. Aqueous exposure of fish embryos to mixtures of the three UV filters demonstrated a general trend of decreased heart/hatching rate as doses increased, coupled with significant changes in activities of catalase and malate dehydrogenase.