Alarming the impacts of the organic and inorganic UV blockers on endangered coral's species in the Persian Gulf: A scientific concern for coral protection

Abstract

Abstract Coral reefs provide many benefits to the society, including ecological nest for aquatic species, medicine ingredient, and protection of coastlines from flooding and storms. Organic and inorganic UV filters (UVfs) are key ingredients in a variety of sunscreen and personal care products, which are massively released to natural waters by marine tourism. Reports are alarming UVfs cause fast bleaching of coral reefs in the Persian Gulf at a tiny concentration (less than 10 µl L−1). Here, for the first time, the evidence pertaining to the impacts of UVfs on corals in the Persian Gulf is highlighted. Based on the existing field reports, laboratory experiments and increasing trend f tourism, corals of Kish Island in Iran are seriously threatened. Here, Kish is a study model that highlights the alarming impacts of UVfs on the endangered population of corals in all Gulf countries. This study found a positive relation between the number of visitors to the island and the bleaching rate of stony coral.