Coral reefs provide nearly $30 billion each year in net benefits in goods and services to world economies, including, tourism, fisheries and coastal protection, but that number could diminish greatly very soon (Cesar et al. 2003). In fact, 30% of coral reefs are at risk of being lost in about the next thirty years. Millions depend on coral reefs for nutrition and income, and if the coral reefs suffer, it is very likely that people who rely on coral reef ecosystems will suffer as well. Attracted by their beauty and biodiversity, many tourists come from all over the world to experience destinations with coral reefs. Coastal tourism is among the fastest growing industries in the world. The growth of this industry has a directly proportional
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Organic ingredients such as para-aminobenzoates, cinnamates, benzophenones, dibenzoylmethanes, camphor derivatives and benzimidazoles, absorb the ultraviolet radiations. Oxybenzone is a synthetic estrogen that disrupts the hormonal system when it deeply penetrates the skin. Inorganic ultraviolet chemical filters such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide reflect and scatter the ultraviolet radiation to protect skin. Other ingredients include preservatives (e.g. parabens derivatives), coloring agents (e.g. ammonium sulphate, copper powder, ferric ammonium ferrocyanide, iron and zinc oxides, etc.), film forming agents (e.g. acrylates and acrylamides), surfactants, chelators, viscosity controllers (e.g. potassium cetyl phosphate, pentasodium ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonate among others), and various fragrances. Paraben preservative prompt allergic reactions, hormone disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity. These are the same ingredients that are washed away in the oceans to harm organisms and ecosystems. The presence of these compounds in seawater lead to severe ecological …show more content…
There are problems that sunscreen can have on organisms in the ocean such as viral infections, coral bleaching, and reproductive and population growth issues within species. Although seemingly separate, all these problems are interconnected and affect one another. Chemicals that are common in sunscreen cosmetics have been documented to bioaccumulate (Chen et al., 2011; Kim et al., 2011; Sánchez-Quiles & Tovar-Sánchez 2015) which can perpetuate these harmful effects. Coral reefs commonly face the problem of bleaching, where the coral will turn completely white after too much stress. Stylophora pistillata, a species of coral used commonly in scientific investigations, experienced bleaching events when exposed to benzophenone-2 and benzophenone-3, common ingredients in sunscreen (Downs et al., 2014, 2016). According to a 2003 study, the ingredients in sunscreen promote dangerous viral infections that encourage this bleaching phenomenon (Danovaro & Corinaldesi, 2003). Sunscreen also permitted negative effects on population dynamics for aquatic organisms. In multiple studies and tests, all test organisms subjected to sunscreen-contaminated arenas showed reduced population growth compared to control groups which suggests that organisms near populated and common marine tourist destinations, where sunscreen contamination is expected, will be at risk of population and colony decline. This could have
Organic ingredients such as para-aminobenzoates, cinnamates, benzophenones, dibenzoylmethanes, camphor derivatives and benzimidazoles, absorb the ultraviolet radiations. Oxybenzone is a synthetic estrogen that disrupts the hormonal system when it deeply penetrates the skin. Inorganic ultraviolet chemical filters such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide reflect and scatter the ultraviolet radiation to protect skin. Other ingredients include preservatives (e.g. parabens derivatives), coloring agents (e.g. ammonium sulphate, copper powder, ferric ammonium ferrocyanide, iron and zinc oxides, etc.), film forming agents (e.g. acrylates and acrylamides), surfactants, chelators, viscosity controllers (e.g. potassium cetyl phosphate, pentasodium ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonate among others), and various fragrances. Paraben preservative prompt allergic reactions, hormone disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity. These are the same ingredients that are washed away in the oceans to harm organisms and ecosystems. The presence of these compounds in seawater lead to severe ecological …show more content…
There are problems that sunscreen can have on organisms in the ocean such as viral infections, coral bleaching, and reproductive and population growth issues within species. Although seemingly separate, all these problems are interconnected and affect one another. Chemicals that are common in sunscreen cosmetics have been documented to bioaccumulate (Chen et al., 2011; Kim et al., 2011; Sánchez-Quiles & Tovar-Sánchez 2015) which can perpetuate these harmful effects. Coral reefs commonly face the problem of bleaching, where the coral will turn completely white after too much stress. Stylophora pistillata, a species of coral used commonly in scientific investigations, experienced bleaching events when exposed to benzophenone-2 and benzophenone-3, common ingredients in sunscreen (Downs et al., 2014, 2016). According to a 2003 study, the ingredients in sunscreen promote dangerous viral infections that encourage this bleaching phenomenon (Danovaro & Corinaldesi, 2003). Sunscreen also permitted negative effects on population dynamics for aquatic organisms. In multiple studies and tests, all test organisms subjected to sunscreen-contaminated arenas showed reduced population growth compared to control groups which suggests that organisms near populated and common marine tourist destinations, where sunscreen contamination is expected, will be at risk of population and colony decline. This could have