Environmental presence and toxicological risks of octocrylene in the marine, coastal and transition ecosystems

Personal care products, including ultraviolet (UV) filters, are increasingly recognized as emerging pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. This review summarizes relevant data on the environmental presence of octocrylene (OC) in water, sediment and biota of coastal ecosystems as well as its toxicological effects. High environmental levels and anthropogenic pressures threaten biota in touristic areas. A total of 14 taxonomic groups, spanning bacteria to fish, were evaluated for the toxicological effects of OC. Three major gaps were identified: (i) limited environmentally realistic chronic exposure scenarios, (ii) weak integration of bioaccumulation with sublethal and population-level effects, and (iii) insufficient consideration of multiple-stressor interactions, particularly climate change. Ecological risk was qualitatively assessed by comparing measured environmental concentrations with published biological effect thresholds rather than by calculating new risk quotients. This comparison suggests highly impacted coastal areas should be a priority concern. These findings highlight the need for harmonised methodologies, improved monitoring strategies and regulatory reassessment of UV filters in aquatic environments.