Sunscreen is ‘killing coral’

Sunscreen is ‘killing coral’

The sudden death of coral reefs around the world may be due to chemicals in sunscreen, a new study has revealed.

The bleaching and subsequent demise of coral reefs was thought until recently to be caused by some unexplained effect of global warming. But a study by the Marche Polytechnic University, in Italy, has found that ingredients commonly used in sunscreen can awaken dormant viruses in the algae that live inside reef-building coral species.

The study revealed that four chemicals (benzophenone, a paraben preservative, cinnamate and a camphor derivative) used as preservatives and as UV filters in sunscreens “caused the rapid and complete bleaching of hard corals, even at extremely low concentrations”.


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I find it fascinating that it isn't the chemicals themselves that cause the damage, but their ability to "trigger rampant reproduction" of normally dormant viruses.

I can't help but wonder whether a similar mechanism is at play for events like Colony Collapse Disorder, White-Nose Syndrome and even Morgellons.

Who knows...


[edit on 3-2-2008 by loam]

interesting, i just wanted to post the same topic.

here's the original paper (.pdf)

www.ehponline.org...

i feel that this info has a good chance of being widely accepted, eventually, if only due to people arguing over GW, using this tidbit as a counter point, although it will probably take ages until sunblockers causing the effect are phased out.