KAUST Logo White
  • ABOUT
  • TEAM
  • RESEARCH
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • PROJECTS
  • CONTACT
  • NEWS
logo white_400px
NavBar
BEM_Background Grid - Test_v2
/PUBLICATIONS

Scientific Insights

Explore our latest research and findings that drive marine conservation and innovation. From groundbreaking studies to insightful reviews, our publications reflect our commitment to advancing marine science and policy.

  • Clear filters

First evidence of climate-driven modulation of octinoxate toxicity in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

by Dinis Costa, Diana Bordalo, Marta Cunha, Amadeu M.V.M. Soares, Susana Carvalho, Rosa Freitas
Research article Year: 2026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107847

Abstract

Although the use of ultraviolet (UV) filters in personal care products is steadily increasing, their ecological consequences remain poorly characterized despite evidence of persistence and bioaccumulation in marine systems. In parallel, climate change stressors such as rising temperatures and fluctuations in salinity are known to modulate the toxicity of contaminants and the physiological tolerance of marine organisms. The combined action of these factors can intensify biological stress, highlighting the need for studies that evaluate pollutant effects under realistic multi-stressor scenarios. This study investigated the biochemical effects of octinoxate (also known as ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, EHMC), a widely used organic UV filter, on the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus under environmentally relevant conditions. A 28-day laboratory exposure was conducted using three EHMC concentrations (50, 500, and 5000 ng/L) under control conditions (17 °C, salinity 35) and climate change scenarios (21 °C, salinity 40). Multiple biomarkers were analysed, including metabolic activity, antioxidant and biotransformation responses, redox balance, cellular damage, and neurotoxicity. Results showed that the biochemical responses of P. lividus were significantly influenced by environmental conditions. Combined exposure to EHMC and elevated temperature (21 °C) induced marked oxidative stress, metabolic alterations, and shifts in detoxification responses. These effects were less pronounced under increased salinity, though still detectable. The present findings emphasize the heightened vulnerability of marine invertebrates to chemical pollutants under climate stress. Furthermore, the present study highlights the importance of integrating multiple stressors into ecotoxicological assessments and supports the use of bioindicator species, such as P. lividus, for more realistic environmental risk evaluations. Given that UV filters remain understudied contaminants and that data on their effects in echinoderms are still almost nonexistent, this work provides a timely contribution and highlights a critical knowledge gap that warrants urgent scientific attention.

Keywords

Abiotic stressors Climate change Emerging contaminants Octinoxate Paracentrotus lividus Biochemical parameters
logo-white

"KAUST shall be a beacon for peace, hope and reconciliation, and shall serve the people of the Kingdom and the world."

King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 1924 – 2015

KAUST Information

  • +966 (12) 808-3463
  • media@kaust.edu.sa
  • 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

    Thuwal 23955-6900

    Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

About BEM Lab

  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
BEM_png_2000x2000
© 2019 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Loading...