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1. Home
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3. Skincare Chemicals and Corals
4. Bibliography & Studies led by NOAA Researchers, Partners

**Skincare Chemicals and Coral Reefs**  **Common chemicals** used in thousands of products to protect against harmful effects of ultraviolet light **threaten corals and other marine life**. Research shows that some of the chemicals found in sunscreen and other personal health products also threaten the health of coral reefs. Two of those studies, led by NOAA researchers and partners, are detailed below. How these, and other compounds, affect reef ecosystems remains an active area of research among scientists.  **Effects of the Sunscreen UV Filter, Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3)**  In a 2016 study, a team of international scientists found that a common chemical in many sunscreen lotions and cosmetics is highly toxic to juvenile corals and other marine life. Oxybenzone, or BP-3, is found in more than 3,500 skin care products worldwide for protection against the sun's harmful effects. The compound has been found entering the environment both through wastewater effluent and directly from swimmers wearing sunscreens. The study, published in the journal *Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology*, showed four major toxic effects in early, developing coral: increased susceptibility to bleaching; DNA damage (genotoxicity); abnormal skeleton growth (via endocrine disruption); and gross deformities of baby coral. The authors of the study conclude that nontoxic oxybenzone alternatives are critical for protecting reefs and the exacerbating effects posed by climate change and bleaching.  **Effects of the Skincare UV filter, Benzophenone-2**  In a 2013 study, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science researchers and  their partners discovered that a sunscreen chemical commonly used in many  soaps, cosmetics, and body fragrances is highly toxic to corals. The team's  data show that even very low concentrations of benzophenone-2, or BP-2, can  quickly kill juvenile corals. BP-2 is an additive used in personal-care  products since the 1960s to protect against the damaging effects of ultraviolet  light. The team also found that BP-2 causes colorful corals to  bleach, and can potentially induce or increase the frequency of mutation in  corals by causing damage to their DNA. BP-2 is not removed from most municipal  wastewater treatment facilities. This discharge is often directly released in  coastal waters of the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific, threatening near-shore  coral reefs. Although pollution is a major cause of coral reef  degradation and is the easiest factor to mitigate, BP-2 as a pollutant has  largely been ignored, according to C.A. Downs, lead author of the study. "In the case of BP-2 pollution, there are a range of  options that can be considered for reducing its impact to reefs—from working  with manufacturers and innovating more environmentally sustainable products to  educating consumers regarding product selection and product disposal," he said. The study was published in the December 2013 issue of  Ecotoxicology.
 More **Information** Bibliography: The Effects of Ultraviolet Filters and Sunscreen on Corals and Aquatic Ecosystems Infographic: Sunscreen Chemicals and Marine Life    Get **Social** Social
  **Last updated:** 09/27/22 **Author:** NOAA How to cite this article Contact Us


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