The UV filters Ethyl-hexyl salicylate and Octocrylene affects feeding and reproduction in the marine copepod Acartia tonsa

The organic UV filters 2-ethylhexyl 2-cyano-3,3-diphenylacrylate or octocrylene (OCT) and 2-ethyl-hexyl salicylate (EHS) are chemicals globally approved for personal care and sunscreen products. The release of these substances into natural environments is raising concerns within the scientific community due to their potential for bioaccumulation and the possible toxic effects they may have on biological communities. We tested the effects of OCT and EHS on the reproduction and feeding of the calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa by exposing the individuals to these chemicals from the egg stage to maturity. We used egg and pellet production in exposed females as proxies for reproduction and feeding, respectively. UV filters significantly and negatively affected egg and pellet production at 7.46 μg L−1 EHS and 4.36 μg L−1 OCT. In particular, EHS resulted in a 62.4 % reduction in egg production and a 31.6 % reduction in pellet production, whereas OCT reduced egg production by 61.5 % and pellet production by 26.9 %. Our results corroborated the concern about the occurrence of OCT in aquatic environments, as its detrimental effects on copepods were observed at concentrations matching those reported in surface waters from highly visited beaches. In contrast, the effect of EHS is of less concern since its environmental concentrations are, to date, far below the levels exerting adverse effects on copepod feeding and reproduction.