Toxicity and Hazards of Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Sunscreens to Aquatic Life of Quintana Roo, Mexico

Miguel Hernández-Pedraza,José Adán Caballero-Vázquez,Jesús Alvarado-Flores,Jorge Carlos Peniche-Pérez,Diego Armando Casas-Beltran,Ignacio Alejandro Pérez-Legaspi

doi:10.3390/su12083270

Miguel Hernández-Pedraza, José Adán Caballero-Vázquez + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083270

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Abstract

Sunscreens have spread widely into aquatic systems over the last 18 years in Quintana Roo, Mexico. This contamination is caused by intensive use as a result of leisure activities, as sunbathers apply the substances intensively (up to 83.75% of tourists and locals). Moreover, 25% of the compounds are mainly released into the water through topical products washing off. On average, 300,000 tourists arrive every week in Quintana Roo, increasing the contamination. In addition, there are no recent studies on sunscreen toxicity and the hazards this represents for the native zooplankton of Quintana Roo. In order to assess their adverse effects, acute toxicity was assessed for nine sunscreens (five non-biodegradable and four biodegradable) in four zooplankton species (Brachionus cf ibericus, Cypridopsis vidua, Diaphanocypris meridana, and Macrothrix triserialis). In total, 21 LC50 values were obtained, which are the baseline values for estimating risk and for determining the expected maximum permissible concentration. Our data on toxicity to freshwater species compared to marine species indicate that freshwater species are more sensitive than marine species. In conclusion, biodegradable sunscreen posed a moderate risk, and non-biodegradable posed a high risk. Our outcomes suggested that the maximum permissible concentrations for the contamination of sunscreens were 8.00E-05 g/L for non-biodegradable and 1.60E-04 g/L for biodegradable sunscreens.

Highlights

The contamination of water caused by the intensive use of sunscreens is an environmental hazard
These ingredients mostly reach the aquatic systems through the washing off of topical products used by tourists and the local population, which eventually contaminate the marine environments, freshwater systems and wildlife [2,3]
Within the commercial range of sunscreens used by tourists and locals, there are conventional options, while other options are considered “friendly” to the environment, such as biodegradable sunscreen, classified by manufacturers as containing natural ingredients or products that they consider to be less harmful to the environment and aquatic life (Federal Office of the Consumer (PROFECO in Spanish))

Summary

Introduction

The contamination of water caused by the intensive use of sunscreens is an environmental hazard. The tourism activity in coastal areas directly represents a major source of the contamination of marine and freshwater environments, because sunscreens contain organic and inorganic compounds that have adverse effects on the aquatic life [1]. These ingredients mostly reach the aquatic systems through the washing off of topical products used by tourists and the local population, which eventually contaminate the marine environments, freshwater systems (dolines and karstic lakes) and wildlife [2,3]. The contamination of ecosystems by sunscreens is directly related to anthropogenic activities, mainly in coastal tourist destinations. Within the commercial range of sunscreens used by tourists and locals, there are conventional options (made with substances derived from oil and considered non-biodegradable), while other options are considered “friendly” to the environment, such as biodegradable sunscreen, classified by manufacturers as containing natural ingredients or products that they consider to be less harmful to the environment and aquatic life (Federal Office of the Consumer (PROFECO in Spanish))

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