Effect of 10 UV Filters on the Brine Shrimp Artemia salina and the Marine Microalga Tetraselmis sp.

Evane Thorel,Didier Stien,Philippe Lebaron,Alice M S Rodrigues,Fanny Clergeaud,Lucie Jaugeon,Julie Lucas

doi:10.3390/toxics8020029

Abstract

The presence of pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP) residues in the aquatic environment is an emerging issue due to their uncontrolled release through gray water, and accumulation in the environment that may affect living organisms, ecosystems and public health. The aim of this study is to assess the toxicity of benzophenone-3 (BP-3), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BM), methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT), 2-ethylhexyl salicylate (ES), diethylaminohydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB), diethylhexyl butamido triazone (DBT), ethylhexyl triazone (ET), homosalate (HS) and octocrylene (OC) on marine organisms from two major trophic levels, including autotrophs (Tetraselmis sp.) and heterotrophs (Artemia salina). In general, results showed that both HS and OC were the most toxic UV filters for our tested species, followed by a significant effect of BM on Artemia salina due to BM—but only at high concentrations (1 mg/L). ES, BP3 and DHHB affected the metabolic activity of the microalgae at 100 µg/L. BEMT, DBT, ET, MBBT had no effect on the tested organisms, even at high concentrations (2 mg/L). OC toxicity represents a risk for those species, since concentrations used in this study are 15–90 times greater than those reported in occurrence studies for aquatic environments. For the first time in the literature, we report HS toxicity on a microalgae species at concentrations complementing those found in aquatic environments. These preliminary results could represent a risk in the future if concentrations of OC and HS continue to increase.

Highlights

In recent decades, sunscreen production has continuously increased with the rise of awareness to protect the skin against damaging sunlight exposure and to reduce the risk of skin cancer [1,2]
The adoption and implementation of European legislation on the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals (REACH) requires several additional ecotoxicity data and promoting the use of invertebrates as models for toxicity assays [28]. The aim of this present study was to evaluate the toxicity of ten common UV filters: benzophenone-3 (BP-3), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT) butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BM), diethylaminohydroxybenzoyl hexylbenzoate (DHHB), diethylhexyl butamido triazone (DBT), ethylhexyl salicylate (ES), ethylhexyl triazone (ET), homosalate (HS), methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT) and octocrylene (OC) on two model organisms commonly used in ecotoxicity assays [22,29,30,31]: the green algae Tetraselmis sp., a primary producer commonly used for chronic algal toxicity [22] and the brine shrimps Artemia spp. readily available worldwide and easy to breed
At the highest concentration tested (2 mg/L), HS, BM and OC demonstrated a significant effect on Nauplii survival (p < 0.05) with mortality values reaching 54 ± 16%, 64 ± 19% and 88 ± 16%, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Sunscreen production has continuously increased with the rise of awareness to protect the skin against damaging sunlight exposure and to reduce the risk of skin cancer [1,2]. Of the many chemical compounds contained in sunscreen products, the active ingredients are ultraviolet (UV) filters, whose purpose is to absorb or reflect UVA and/or UVB radiations ranging from 280 to 400 nm [3]. In 2016, 60 different UV filters were reported on the market; these compounds are subject to different regulations around the world [4]. UV filters are regularly detected in various aquatic environmental compartments, including lakes, rivers, surface marine waters and sediments [3,5,6,7]. Some UV filters have been investigated more than others in occurrence studies, such as benzophenone-3 (BP3), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EMC), octocrylene (OC) and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC). Most of the filters occur at concentrations in the range of 0.1–10 μg/L [5,6,7]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion