Krithi Sagayaraj

How do contaminants from sunscreen impact the health of Hawaiian coral reefs, and what is the human significance of protecting those corals from that damage?

Started Aug. 22, 2023

Abstract or project description

In this paper I reviewed eight journal articles about the effects of various UV filters found in sunscreen on the overall health of coral reefs. In order for sunscreens to effectively work, they utilize UV filters in order to block radiation from the sun. However, these UV filters can be toxic and dangerous to coral reefs. Corals are already very sensitive to changes in their environment such as water temperature, salinity, and pollution for example. There are additional harmful phenomena such as ocean acidification, changes to habitats and environments, water pollution, and more.Ir reviewed many studies on how these UV filters specifically contribute to the rapid decline in coral population health. In examining the different impact of organic and inorganic filters, we found many similarities and a few differences in the studied results across the board. Some of these experiments tested corals in a controlled area of their natural habitat whereas others conducted lab-based tests where they would use samples of corals in a closed and monitored aquarium. Other factors that varied when conducting these studies were the length of exposure to these toxic substances, the species of coral, and the regulation of water conditions. Overall, the greatest takeaway was that the methods for these various studies are inconsistent and lead to very skewed results. There are limited control groups for creating strong, reliable conclusions. Additionally, these results are difficult to compare since the procedures don’t factor in the big margins of error or variability. Overall, UV filters in sunscreens are more harmful and complicated to the corals than they may seem, but to truly assess the severity of the damage they cause, we need to create a standardized system or method of testing toxicity to corals.