Can short-term data accurately model long-term environmental exposures? Investigating the multigenerational adaptation potential of Daphnia magna to environmental concentrations of organic ultraviolet filters

Organic ultraviolet filters (UVFs) are contaminants of concern, ubiquitously found in many aquatic environments due to their use in personal care products to protect against ultraviolet radiation. Research regarding the toxicity of UVFs such as avobenzone, octocrylene and oxybenzone indicate that these chemicals may pose a threat to invertebrate species; however, minimal long-term studies have been conducted to determine how these UVFs may affect continuously exposed populations. The present study modeled the effects of a 5-generation exposure of Daphnia magna to these UVFs at environmental concentrations. Avobenzone and octocrylene resulted in minor, transient decreases in reproduction and wet mass. Oxybenzone exposure resulted in > 40% mortality, 46% decreased reproduction, and 4-fold greater reproductive failure over the F0 and F1 generations; however, normal function was largely regained by the F2 generation. These results indicate that Daphnia are able to acclimate over long-term exposures to concentrations of 6.59 mu g/L avobenzone, ~0.6 mu g/L octocrylene or 16.5 mu g/L oxy-benzone. This suggests that short-term studies indicating high toxicity may not accurately represent long-term outcomes in wild populations, adding additional complexity to risk assessment practices at a time when many regions are considering or implementing UVF bans in order to protect these most sensitive invertebrate species.

Automated summary

Organic ultraviolet filters (UVFs) are commonly found in aquatic environments and have been found to pose a threat to invertebrate species. However, long-term studies on their effects are limited. This study examined the effects of exposure to UVFs on Daphnia magna and found that while avobenzone and octocrylene had minor and transient effects on reproduction and wet mass, oxybenzone resulted in significant negative impacts on mortality and reproduction, although normal function was largely regained by the next generation.