Acute toxicity of benzophenone-type UV filters and paraben preservatives to freshwater planarian, Dugesia japonica

• Published in: Toxicological and environmental chemistry 2012-03, Vol.94 (3), p.566-573
• Main Author: Li, Mei-Hui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acute toxicity; animals; Aquatic animals; aquatic environment; Aquatic life; aquatic toxicity; benzophenone; Chemicals; Dugesia; Dugesia japonica; Ecological risk assessment; Environmental chemistry; Exposure; exposure duration; filters; freshwater; lethal concentration 50; methylparaben; paraben; personal care and household products; Preservatives; risk; Risk assessment; Toxic; Toxicity; Toxicology; Ultraviolet radiation
• ISSN: 1029-0486; 0277-2248; 1029-0486
• DOI: 10.1080/02772248.2012.655695

Fourteen benzophenone-type UV filters and four paraben preservatives were selected to examine their acute toxicities on Dugesia japonica. The 48-h LC₅₀ values for planarians exposed to benzophenone-type UV filters can be ranked as oxybenzone > mexenone > 5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzophenone > 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone > 2-hydroxybenzophenone > dioxybenzone > benzophenone > 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone > 4-hydroxybenzophenone > 3-hydroxybenzophenone > 4,4′-dihydroxybenzophenone > 2,2′-dihydroxy-4,4′-dimethoxybenzophenone > 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone > sulisobenzone with a range from 0.9 to 145 mg L⁻¹ with a similar sequence for the 96 h LC₅₀ values, ranging from 0.5 to 77 mg L⁻¹. The 48 and 96 LC₅₀ values for planarians exposed to paraben preservatives can be ranked as butylparaben > propylparaben > ethylparaben > methylparaben. Among all the tested chemicals, oxybenzone was the most toxic and sulisobenzone the least toxic chemical to planarian at each exposure period. Most benzophenone-type UV filters are toxic to aquatic animals with 48 h LC₅₀ values less than 10 mg L⁻¹, except for 2,2′-dihydroxy-4,4′-dimethoxybenzophenone, 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone, and sulisobenzone. Because of their common occurrence in aquatic environment, more studies on aquatic toxicities of benzophenone-type UV filters and paraben preservativs are needed to provide important information to adequately assess their ecological risk.