Behavioral and biochemical effects of benzophenone-3 ingestion in dusky damselfish Stegastes fuscus

Oxybenzone (also known as benzophenone-3 or BP-3) is an organic ultraviolet (UV) filter commonly used in personal care products. BP-3 has been detected in various aquatic environments and is a major concern in reef areas due to their biological richness and vital role in marine ecosystems. This research focused on investigating the effects of BP-3 exposure in dusky damselfish Stegastes fuscus, an endemic species of the Brazilian coast, analyzing behavioral responses, enzymatic biomarkers on encephalon and liver (catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)), and general health indicators (growth rate and hepatosomatic index). Adults of S. fuscus were fed a diet containing BP-3 at concentrations of 10 μg/g food and 20 μg/g food for 44 days, with behavioral tests starting after 30 days of exposure. Light-dark preference, novel tank and aggressiveness tests were conducted. Our results showed that BP-3 exposure decreased health indicators and altered fish behavior, decreasing risk-perception and locomotion, although agonistic behavior remained unaffected. Enzymatic assays revealed changes that varied depending on the tissue analyzed. These findings highlight the potential of BP-3 to impair behavioral and physiological processes in reef fish, emphasizing the need for regulations on UV filters to protect marine ecosystems and reef life.