Assessing UV filter inputs into beach waters during recreational activity: A field study of three French Mediterranean beaches from consumer survey to water analysis

Rethinking Nano‐TiO2 Safety: Overview of Toxic Effects in Humans and Aquatic Animals

“…As discussed in the introduction, estimated environmental concentrations of nano-TiO 2 can reach up ≈100 µg L −1 in the coastal waters, [7] albeit higher levels have been reported locally in the sediments [8] and the water column near popular beaches. [9] For the purpose of this review, we assume 100 µg L −1 as the hazard threshold with regard to the present-day concentration of nano-TiO 2 in the aquatic environment, so that results of the studies carried out at the exposures at or below 100 µg L −1 are considered environmentally relevant. We also discuss the results of the studies carried out at higher nano-TiO 2 (>100 µg L −1 ) concentrations.…”

Assessing Sunscreen Lifecycle to Minimize Environmental Risk Posed by Nanoparticulate UV-Filters – A Review for Safer-by-Design Products

“…A similar effect, so-called saltingout, is known for example on protein solubility in electrolyte with very high ionic strength (Duong-Ly and Gabelli, 2014). In beaches of the Mediterranean Coast, the enrichment in UVfilters in the water top 1-cm surface layer of the bathing zone was evidenced with regard to the water column below (Labille et al, 2020), giving respectively 100-900 and 20-50 µg/L of TiO 2 , 10-15 and 1-3 µg/L of ZnO. Values corresponding to La Lave Beach are reported in Figure 4.…”

“…In seawater, a specific fate scenario has been observed, that facilitates the identification of mineral UV-filters: they appear concentrated in the water top surface layer (Tovar-Sanchez et al, 2013;Labille et al, 2020) (Figures 2d,e). This preferred localization minimizes possible confusion with any geogenic material containing Ti or Zn elements since these are rather found in the water column or in sediments.…”

“…From this value the authors could determine that 4,000-6,000 t/y of sunscreen are released worldwide in reef areas. At a local scale, a social survey carried out on three beaches of the Mediterranean coast enabled to estimate that on a beach attended by 3,000 people during the summer peak of activity (from June to September), an average mass of 52 kg/day or 1.4 t/month of suncare products is consumed before bathing (Labille et al, 2020). From these products, a mass concentration of 3-10% was reasonably used to estimate the amount of each UV-filter indicated among the component list on the packaging, giving 15.7 kg of UV-filter per day in average.…”

“…Al and Si are not good candidates for this purpose as they are abundant in both natural systems and in the coating of mineral UV-filters. Fe, V or rare earths elements (Ga, Y, Nb, Eu, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Ta) have been proposed as proxies for geogenic materials (Gondikas et al, 2014(Gondikas et al, , 2018Reed et al, 2017;Labille et al, 2020).…”