Sunscreen and Fish Feminization

In the Independent this week is a story that researchers at UC Riverside are reporting that male hornyhead turbot and English sole, feeding near sewage outfalls, are being feminized, with the likely culprit being chemicals used in sunscreens. One chemical identified in these studies is oxybenzone, which protects the skin from the effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Other studies by Swiss researchers indicate that potentially endocrine-disrupting substances used in sunscreen and lip balm, octocrylene and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, also bioaccumulate in fish.

Cosmetic industry representatives argue the benefits of sunscreens in preventing melanoma. A competing point brought out in the article, and something I hadn’t considered before, is the effect of sunscreens in reducing Vitamin D production. I don’t know how real that one is, and further exploration of it will have to occur some other time (I’m traveling the rest of the week).

What comes to mind is that these chemicals are either being discharged to water in large quantities, or they are potent endocrine disruptors. If it’s the latter, you have to wonder about the human health hazards for users of the products as well as for workers producing them. I’ll try and return to this subject at a later time. If you want to read ahead, you can start here.

Further posting will start again this weekend.