Oxybenzone and Coral Reefs

A new study published last week has raised awareness of another direct anthropogenic impact on coral reefs and consequently tropical fish that use the structures for shelter and food. The study by Downs et al. investigates the effects of Benzophenone-3 (Oxybenzone) which is an ingredient found in suncream, on the coral Stylophora pistillate as well as its toxicity with 6 other coral species. The study was set in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Hawaii where notable contamination of corals was found. The important message to take from this study is that the chemical, which is derived essentially from tourist related activities poses a new hazard to coral reef conservation and threatens the resiliance of these corals to climate change as the samples exhibited increased bleaching with exposure to Oxybenzone. Whilst the study is very technical and written for readers with a background in chemistry it shows yet another way we are inadvertently impacting coral reefs. The study also makes me question whether this chemical also has direct impacts on the aquatic species that are exposed to it? it will be interesting to see how literature around this topic develops.