Issues

Coral Reefs Bleached by Sunscreen



Info about Coral Reefs
- Most diverse ecosystems in the world
- Biologically productive
- Provides food protein for billions of people

What is being damaged in the coral reefs?
- Zooxanthellae
- Algae that lives in the coral tissue
- It provides nutrients to the coral through photosynthesis
- When the zooxanthellae leaves the color in the reefs is diminished

What in sunscreen is killing he coral reefs?
- Paraben
- Cinnamate- UV filters
- Benzophenone- UV filters
- Camphor- UV filters

How long does it take to occur?
- Within a few hours
- Always within four days
- In amounts as small as 10uL/L

Where is the sunscreen coming from?
- Swimmers in the ocean
- 4,000-6,000 metric tons of sunscreen that wash off on an annual basis.