Ultraviolet (UV) filters, which are the active ingredients in sunscreen and other personal care products, have attracted increased attention as contaminants of emerging concern due to their reported toxicity to corals and other aquatic organisms. In fact, several states and island nations have banned the sale of sunscreens containing the oxybenzone and octinoxate UV filters. As a class, UV filters exhibit a wide range of hydrophobicity and not only remain in the water column, but also partition into sediment and accumulate in tissue. For these reasons, sensitive methods are needed for quantitation of the full suite of approved UV filters in diverse environmental media. This presentation will focus on (1) development of multi-residue analytical methods for UV filters in water, sediment, and tissue and (2) application of those methods to measure UV filter concentrations in coastal and estuarine environments. Water samples were processed via solid-phase extraction (SPE), whereas a modified QuEChERS extraction with reverse-SPE cleanup was established to extract UV filters from sediment and tissue samples. UV filter concentrations in the extracts were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Eight UV filters were detected in seawater, sediment, and coral tissue from Oahu, Hawaii, and the total mass concentrations were less than 7,500 ng L^-1, 300 ng g^-1 dry weight (dw), and 1,300 ng g^-1 dw, respectively. Select UV filters, including homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, and oxybenzone, were detected in almost every sample. Similar detection frequencies were observed for UV filters in water, sediment, crayfish, and oysters from the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The measured UV filter concentrations exhibited trends with other contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, sucralose) and land use characteristics (e.g., urban, rural). Overall, this presentation will highlight the ubiquitous presence of a diverse suite of UV filters in the aquatic environment, confirm accumulation of UV filters in sensitive aquatic organisms, and suggest the need for comprehensive control strategies.

Anna Feerick

Appearances