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Introduction and Context
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From page 1... ... To share progress and identify opportunities to further address gaps and barriers, NASEM hosted a workshop in Washington, D.C., on January 23–24, 2023, entitled Workshop to Advance Research on Understanding Environmental Effects of UV Filters in Sunscreens. The workshop brought members of government, academia, and industry together in person and virtually to discuss the knowledge gaps identified in the 2022 consensus study, consider research needs specific to the analytical challenges of working with UV filters, understand the environmental effects on aquatic ecosystems and nonstandard organisms, and share possible approaches to standardize toxicity testing. Read the entire page →
From page 2... ... , and high-quality tests show a low-to-moderate potential for bioaccumulation of seven UV filters in aquatic life.3 However, the wide range of physical and chemical reactions that occur when UV filters enter water, from partitioning to photoreactions to dissolving to settling into sediments, makes toxicity testing and environmental monitoring very challenging.4 In addition, most of what is known about physico-chemical parameters has been learned from pure water experiments, laboratory conditions, or modeling simulations, and field studies of concentration levels typically lack knowledge of initial exposure in water or sediment. The question of how to perform chemical analyses of UV filters -- necessary to understand exposure levels in test systems and the natural environment -- was identified as a major knowledge gap in the 2022 report. Read the entire page →
From page 3... ... To manage the impact of sunscreens and other products containing UV filters on corals, Davis said there is a need for water quality standards that are based on knowledge of contamination levels and information about tolerability thresholds, with appropriate consideration for when samples are taken; how UV filters synergize with other contaminants; how lethal or sublethal thresholds are defined; and how factors such as rainfall, wind, and waves affect water dynamics. Managing the potential impacts of UV filters is further complicated by an overall dearth of knowledge about factors that affect the health of marine ecosystems, uncertainty in understanding Read the entire page →
From page 4... ... Climate change and associated sea level rise and ocean acidification also further complicate the overall environment in which coral reefs are being affected by UV filters and other chemicals. Noting that researchers and regulators have succeeded in improving thresholds for other water quality stressors such as herbicides and pesticides, Davis posited that there is a need for similar thresholds for UV filters. Read the entire page →

From page 1...

... To share progress and identify opportunities to further address gaps and barriers, NASEM hosted a workshop in Washington, D.C., on January 23–24, 2023, entitled Workshop to Advance Research on Understanding Environmental Effects of UV Filters in Sunscreens. The workshop brought members of government, academia, and industry together in person and virtually to discuss the knowledge gaps identified in the 2022 consensus study, consider research needs specific to the analytical challenges of working with UV filters, understand the environmental effects on aquatic ecosystems and nonstandard organisms, and share possible approaches to standardize toxicity testing.

Read the entire page →

From page 2...

... , and high-quality tests show a low-to-moderate potential for bioaccumulation of seven UV filters in aquatic life.3 However, the wide range of physical and chemical reactions that occur when UV filters enter water, from partitioning to photoreactions to dissolving to settling into sediments, makes toxicity testing and environmental monitoring very challenging.4 In addition, most of what is known about physico-chemical parameters has been learned from pure water experiments, laboratory conditions, or modeling simulations, and field studies of concentration levels typically lack knowledge of initial exposure in water or sediment. The question of how to perform chemical analyses of UV filters -- necessary to understand exposure levels in test systems and the natural environment -- was identified as a major knowledge gap in the 2022 report.

Read the entire page →

From page 3...

... To manage the impact of sunscreens and other products containing UV filters on corals, Davis said there is a need for water quality standards that are based on knowledge of contamination levels and information about tolerability thresholds, with appropriate consideration for when samples are taken; how UV filters synergize with other contaminants; how lethal or sublethal thresholds are defined; and how factors such as rainfall, wind, and waves affect water dynamics. Managing the potential impacts of UV filters is further complicated by an overall dearth of knowledge about factors that affect the health of marine ecosystems, uncertainty in understanding

Read the entire page →

From page 4...

... Climate change and associated sea level rise and ocean acidification also further complicate the overall environment in which coral reefs are being affected by UV filters and other chemicals. Noting that researchers and regulators have succeeded in improving thresholds for other water quality stressors such as herbicides and pesticides, Davis posited that there is a need for similar thresholds for UV filters.

Read the entire page →

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Introduction and Context Pages 1-4

Introduction and Context
Pages 1-4