Abstract/Description/Artist Statement
Mineral and organic sunscreens are emerging anthropogenic pollutants in coastal marine waters and have been shown to affect marine invertebrates via genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, and impacts on life-history traits, such as reduced survival, growth, and fecundity. Most experiments expose marine organisms to isolated UV filters, with fewer studies testing complete formulations, co-occurring exposure to organic and mineral sunscreens, or the modulating influence of format type on toxicity. In this experiment, we tested the impact of organic sunscreens (3% Avobenzone, 15% Homosalate, 5% Octinoxate, and 10% Octocylene) and 24% zinc oxide mineral sunscreens on the survival and fecundity of the marine annelid Ophryotrocha labronica. After one generation under controlled laboratory conditions (27 psu, 24 ˚C), reproductive pairs were randomly assigned to three experiments testing 1) full factorial combinations of sunscreen type (SPF50 mineral, organic) and concentration (0, 5, 50 mg/L), 2) full factorial combinations of organic sunscreen format (spray, lotion) and concentration (0, 5, 50mg/L), and 3) the effect of isolated and mixed organic sunscreens at different concentrations (0, 50 mg/L). Pairs were monitored for 8 days, and their survival and fecundity were recorded daily. We expect higher mortality and reduced fecundity in treatments with higher sunscreen concentrations and exposure to the sunscreen mix due to disruption of detoxification mechanisms. We expect mineral sunscreens to be less toxic because of their lower dissociation capacity compared to organic sunscreens. Utilizing full sunscreen formulations allows improved assessment of their biological impacts, providing stronger evidence to inform management practices in coastal ecosystems.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Gloria Massamba-N'siala
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Email
gmassamb@odu.edu
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department
Biological Sciences
College/School Affiliation
College of Sciences
Student Level Group
Undergraduate
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Comparative effect of mineral, organic, and mixed sunscreens formulations on the life history of a benthic marine invertebrate
Mineral and organic sunscreens are emerging anthropogenic pollutants in coastal marine waters and have been shown to affect marine invertebrates via genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, and impacts on life-history traits, such as reduced survival, growth, and fecundity. Most experiments expose marine organisms to isolated UV filters, with fewer studies testing complete formulations, co-occurring exposure to organic and mineral sunscreens, or the modulating influence of format type on toxicity. In this experiment, we tested the impact of organic sunscreens (3% Avobenzone, 15% Homosalate, 5% Octinoxate, and 10% Octocylene) and 24% zinc oxide mineral sunscreens on the survival and fecundity of the marine annelid Ophryotrocha labronica. After one generation under controlled laboratory conditions (27 psu, 24 ˚C), reproductive pairs were randomly assigned to three experiments testing 1) full factorial combinations of sunscreen type (SPF50 mineral, organic) and concentration (0, 5, 50 mg/L), 2) full factorial combinations of organic sunscreen format (spray, lotion) and concentration (0, 5, 50mg/L), and 3) the effect of isolated and mixed organic sunscreens at different concentrations (0, 50 mg/L). Pairs were monitored for 8 days, and their survival and fecundity were recorded daily. We expect higher mortality and reduced fecundity in treatments with higher sunscreen concentrations and exposure to the sunscreen mix due to disruption of detoxification mechanisms. We expect mineral sunscreens to be less toxic because of their lower dissociation capacity compared to organic sunscreens. Utilizing full sunscreen formulations allows improved assessment of their biological impacts, providing stronger evidence to inform management practices in coastal ecosystems.