Detecting UV Filters in Fish Tissue
Abstract
UV filters, present in many personal care products like sunscreens, pose a threat to aquatic ecosystems. In alignment with the One Health Framework (a WHO initiative), this study aims to quantify the accumulation of various UV filters, alongside other toxins, in fish specimens from the Indian River Lagoon and its contributing waters. While the overarching project is ongoing and involves multiple stakeholders, this work presents a narrative literature review on the sample preparation, extraction, and GC-MS and HPLC-MS quantification of five common UV filters: benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), octocrylene, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC) and homosalate. The literature review reveals a lack of standardized methodology, though several important insights can be drawn from the literature review. Cross-contamination is a notable concern and requires care in sampling, including labware pre-cleaning methods and researchers’ use of cosmetics while handling samples. Additionally, seasonality should be considered based on both increased use of UV filters in summer months and seasonal variability in fish lipid content. Diverse fish species and tissue types were used across studies, with higher lipid content necessitating gel permeation chromatography clean-up prior to GC-MS analysis in some cases. Most studies utilized composite samples and sample preparation typically included homogenization, lyophilization, and drying. GC-MS emerged as the predominant quantification method. For GC-MS quantification, reported values ranged from below the limit of detection (LOD) to 1,037 ng/g for BP-3, 166 ng/g for 4-MBC, 11,875 ng/g for octocrylene, 1765 ng/g for EHMC, and 22.1 ng/g for homosalate. HPLC quantification yielded values from < LOD to 81.4 ng/g BP-3, 38.9 for 4-MBC, 31.8 ng/g for octocrylene, and 241.7ng/g for EHMC (homosalate was not quantified in any studies using HPLC). Given the methodological heterogeneity and wide-ranging data in existing literature, this literature review underscores the necessity for an optimization protocol within the One Health framework to accurately assess UV filter contamination in the Indian River Lagoon ecosystem.
Detecting UV Filters in Fish Tissue
UV filters, present in many personal care products like sunscreens, pose a threat to aquatic ecosystems. In alignment with the One Health Framework (a WHO initiative), this study aims to quantify the accumulation of various UV filters, alongside other toxins, in fish specimens from the Indian River Lagoon and its contributing waters. While the overarching project is ongoing and involves multiple stakeholders, this work presents a narrative literature review on the sample preparation, extraction, and GC-MS and HPLC-MS quantification of five common UV filters: benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), octocrylene, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC) and homosalate. The literature review reveals a lack of standardized methodology, though several important insights can be drawn from the literature review. Cross-contamination is a notable concern and requires care in sampling, including labware pre-cleaning methods and researchers’ use of cosmetics while handling samples. Additionally, seasonality should be considered based on both increased use of UV filters in summer months and seasonal variability in fish lipid content. Diverse fish species and tissue types were used across studies, with higher lipid content necessitating gel permeation chromatography clean-up prior to GC-MS analysis in some cases. Most studies utilized composite samples and sample preparation typically included homogenization, lyophilization, and drying. GC-MS emerged as the predominant quantification method. For GC-MS quantification, reported values ranged from below the limit of detection (LOD) to 1,037 ng/g for BP-3, 166 ng/g for 4-MBC, 11,875 ng/g for octocrylene, 1765 ng/g for EHMC, and 22.1 ng/g for homosalate. HPLC quantification yielded values from < LOD to 81.4 ng/g BP-3, 38.9 for 4-MBC, 31.8 ng/g for octocrylene, and 241.7ng/g for EHMC (homosalate was not quantified in any studies using HPLC). Given the methodological heterogeneity and wide-ranging data in existing literature, this literature review underscores the necessity for an optimization protocol within the One Health framework to accurately assess UV filter contamination in the Indian River Lagoon ecosystem.