This is how sunscreens pollute the Mediterranean Sea and affect nature

A study into sea pollution and what scientists refer to as 'soup', the mixture of nanoparticles, microplastics, spills and seawater has been carried out by the University of Malaga (UMA). The 'Impacto del turismo costero en la biodiversidad marina' (Impact of coastal tourism on marine biodiversity) forms part of the Emcrotur (chronic emergencies and ecosocial transformation in tourist spaces) research project, has been funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, coordinated by Dr Enrique Navarro, professor at the UMA's faculty of tourism.

As part of the wider study, Dr Rafael Yus Ramos, coordinator of the Vélez-Málaga based environmental group Gena-Ecologistas en Acción and member of the Emcrotur group, has published the book 'UV filters in sunscreens as polluting agents'.

The book aims to provide an update to research already carried out on "exponentially growing interest in scientific journals around the world" on the environmental problems caused to marine ecosystems by the filters used in sunscreen creams, according to Yus.

"The results of this research hardly reach the general public and are practically buried in scientific journals, which have a much more restricted distribution," Yus highlighted.

In his opinion, "the issue is of great importance, due to the enormous volume of these products that are dumped into the sea, especially during the swimming season". Yus went on to say that "if a person uses 36 grams of sunscreen, an amount that has 1.656 milligrams of an ultraviolet filter such as titanium dioxide on their skin, they release an average of 25% into the water, which means 414 milligrams of this substance per person, so that if on a good day at the beach 10,000 swimmers gather, this beach will collect no less than four kilos of titanium dioxide per day."

Some countries, such as Mexico or the state of Hawaii, have already started to take measures by banning the use of certain sunscreens that contain UV filters "for which there is indisputable evidence of their harmfulness to marine biodiversity". In some cases this extends to beach showers.

Other countries, such as the United States and the European Union, have already adopted restrictive rules for the sale of creams that include certain types of UV filters, "but not for many others, continually renewed, which are used by the cosmetics industry, and in any case no type of control is adopted to ensure compliance with the regulations," Yus points out. In his opinion, "the proof of this is that most beach-goers are unaware of the damage that their protective creams are doing to marine biodiversity".

Yus's research summarises this highly complex issue, using scientific data published in more than 400 articles from a large number of countries around the world on this "worrying issue". The author, an expert in popularising science on environmental problems, has brought together in this book a representative sample of the research that demonstrates the harmful effects of UV filters, both organic and inorganic, on marine, continental aquatic and even land biodiversity.

The book includes at least one example that affects each of the groups of living beings that live in aquatic environments (bacteria, cyanobacteria, macro and microalgae, cnidarians, worms, molluscs, crustaceans, echinoderms, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals), with reference to the types of metabolic reactions caused by these filters, which generally end up producing what are technically known as ROS (reactive oxygen species), reptiles, birds and mammals).

It describes the types of metabolic reactions triggered by these filters, which generally end up producing what are technically called ROS (reactive oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide, active oxygen, etc.) "with lethal effects on the environment, the metabolism and DNA of microbes, animals and plants, in general, not disregarding those that also affect humans" Yus says.

Given the importance of protecting our skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation, the book devotes a final chapter to showing encouraging results of scientific research on UV filters used by various living things, such as cyanobacteria, flowering plants, algae, fungi, lichens, etc. in which substances such as the so-called 'mycosporine-like amino acids' become relevant, since, unlike commercial UV filters, they do not produce free radicals, and therefore do not cause the dreaded ROS, the reactive oxygen species.

"There are many other promising products, still in the research phase, some by Spanish researchers who have already obtained their corresponding patents, because in the end these products are destined to completely replace the current UV filters in our sunscreens," Yus said in a statement.

According to the biologist this is "an emergency that contrasts with the slow response of cosmetics laboratories to incorporate these UV filters in new protective creams, possibly because they are more interested in using up current stocks and satisfying their own assured markets".