Date of Award
6-2012
Document Type
Union College Only
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Laura MacManus-Spencer
Language
English
Keywords
sunscreen, ultraviolet, photochemical, degradation, toxicity
Abstract
Ultraviolet filter chemicals (UVFCs) are used in sunscreen products to protect skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Entering through direct and indirect inputs, UVFCs have been detected in water bodies and biota, raising inquiry into their environmental fate and toxicity. A commonly used UVFC is octyl dimethyl para-aminobenzoic acid (OD-PABA), which attenuates the sun’s rays but has shown susceptibility to photodegradation. Its photochemical instability results in the formation of numerous degradation products. Currently, two de-methylated products and one methylated product have been identified, along with evidence of possible dimerization and the possible formation of para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA). Methods have been developed to separate and isolate the degradation products from a photolysis mixture by high performance liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography. The structures of these degradation products have been investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The cellular toxicity of OD-PABA and PABA has been investigated. Understanding the environmental fate and toxicity of OD-PABA and its photodegradation products will lead to more informed decisions about its use and regulation in sunscreens.
Recommended Citation
Suhag, Shivani, "Investigating the Environmental Fate and Toxicity of the Ultraviolet Filter Chemical Octyl Dimethyl Para-Aminobenzoic Acid and Its Photochemical Degradation Products" (2012). Honors Theses. 907.
https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses/907