Occurrence and Distribution of UV Filters in Beach Sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea Coast
The interest in UV filters’ occurrence in the environment has increased since they were recognized as “emerging contaminants” having potentially adverse impacts on many ecosystems and organisms. Increased worldwide demand for sunscreens is associated with temperature anomalies, high irradiance, and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/11/3024 |
| _version_ | 1797549583554838528 |
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| author | Aleksander Astel Marcin Stec Iwona Rykowska |
| author_facet | Aleksander Astel Marcin Stec Iwona Rykowska |
| author_sort | Aleksander Astel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The interest in UV filters’ occurrence in the environment has increased since they were recognized as “emerging contaminants” having potentially adverse impacts on many ecosystems and organisms. Increased worldwide demand for sunscreens is associated with temperature anomalies, high irradiance, and changes in the tourist market. Recently, it has been demonstrated that personal care products, including sunscreens, appear in various ecosystems and geographic locations causing an ecotoxicological threat. Our goal was to determine for the first time the presence of selected organic UV filters at four beaches in the central Pomeranian region in northern Poland and to assess their horizontal and vertical distribution as well as temporal variation at different locations according to the touristic pressure. In this pioneering study, the concentration of five UV filters was measured in core sediments dredged from four exposed beaches (Darłowo, Ustka, Rowy, and Czołpino). UV filters were detected in 89.6% of collected cores at detection frequencies of 0–22.2%, 75–100%, 0–16.7%, and 2.8–25% for benzophenone-1 (BP-1), benzophenone-2 (BP-2), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), and enzacamene (4-MBC), respectively. In terms of seasonality, the concentration of UV filters generally increased in the following order: summer > autumn > spring. No detectable levels of 3-BC (also known as 3-benzylidene camphor) were recorded. No differences were found in the concentration of UV filters according to the depth of the sediment core. During the summer and autumn seasons, all UV filters were detected in higher concentrations in the bathing area or close to the waterline than halfway or further up the beach. Results presented in this study demonstrate that the Baltic Sea coast is not free from UV filters. Even if actual concentrations can be quantified as ng·kg<sup>−1</sup> causing limited environmental threat, much higher future levels are expected due to the Earth’s principal climatic zones shifting northward. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:16:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-33f075cd32a349869086195bf1224989 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:16:36Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-33f075cd32a349869086195bf12249892023-11-20T18:51:11ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-10-011211302410.3390/w12113024Occurrence and Distribution of UV Filters in Beach Sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea CoastAleksander Astel0Marcin Stec1Iwona Rykowska2Environmental Chemistry Research Unit, Institute of Biology and Earth Sciences, Pomeranian University in Słupsk, 22a Arciszewskiego Str., 76-200 Słupsk, PolandEnvironmental Chemistry Research Unit, Institute of Biology and Earth Sciences, Pomeranian University in Słupsk, 22a Arciszewskiego Str., 76-200 Słupsk, PolandDepartment of Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Faculty, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 8 Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego Str., 61-614 Poznań, PolandThe interest in UV filters’ occurrence in the environment has increased since they were recognized as “emerging contaminants” having potentially adverse impacts on many ecosystems and organisms. Increased worldwide demand for sunscreens is associated with temperature anomalies, high irradiance, and changes in the tourist market. Recently, it has been demonstrated that personal care products, including sunscreens, appear in various ecosystems and geographic locations causing an ecotoxicological threat. Our goal was to determine for the first time the presence of selected organic UV filters at four beaches in the central Pomeranian region in northern Poland and to assess their horizontal and vertical distribution as well as temporal variation at different locations according to the touristic pressure. In this pioneering study, the concentration of five UV filters was measured in core sediments dredged from four exposed beaches (Darłowo, Ustka, Rowy, and Czołpino). UV filters were detected in 89.6% of collected cores at detection frequencies of 0–22.2%, 75–100%, 0–16.7%, and 2.8–25% for benzophenone-1 (BP-1), benzophenone-2 (BP-2), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), and enzacamene (4-MBC), respectively. In terms of seasonality, the concentration of UV filters generally increased in the following order: summer > autumn > spring. No detectable levels of 3-BC (also known as 3-benzylidene camphor) were recorded. No differences were found in the concentration of UV filters according to the depth of the sediment core. During the summer and autumn seasons, all UV filters were detected in higher concentrations in the bathing area or close to the waterline than halfway or further up the beach. Results presented in this study demonstrate that the Baltic Sea coast is not free from UV filters. Even if actual concentrations can be quantified as ng·kg<sup>−1</sup> causing limited environmental threat, much higher future levels are expected due to the Earth’s principal climatic zones shifting northward.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/11/3024UV filtersbenzophenonesemerging pollutantssunscreen agentsbeach sedimentsexposed beaches |
| spellingShingle | Aleksander Astel Marcin Stec Iwona Rykowska Occurrence and Distribution of UV Filters in Beach Sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea Coast Water UV filters benzophenones emerging pollutants sunscreen agents beach sediments exposed beaches |
| title | Occurrence and Distribution of UV Filters in Beach Sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea Coast |
| title_full | Occurrence and Distribution of UV Filters in Beach Sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea Coast |
| title_fullStr | Occurrence and Distribution of UV Filters in Beach Sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea Coast |
| title_full_unstemmed | Occurrence and Distribution of UV Filters in Beach Sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea Coast |
| title_short | Occurrence and Distribution of UV Filters in Beach Sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea Coast |
| title_sort | occurrence and distribution of uv filters in beach sediments of the southern baltic sea coast |
| topic | UV filters benzophenones emerging pollutants sunscreen agents beach sediments exposed beaches |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/11/3024 |
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