Occurrence of UV Filters 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor and Octocrylene in Fish from Various Swiss Rivers with Inputs from Wastewater Treatment Plants

UV filters are widely used compounds in many personal care products and cosmetics, such as sunscreens. After use, UV filters are washed off from skin and clothes and enter the aquatic environment. Recent studies indicate that some lipophilic UV filters do accumulate in biota and act as endocrine disruptors. In this study, concentrations of 4-MBC (4-methylbenzylidene camphor) and OC (octocrylene), two widely used UV filters, were determined in the muscle tissue of fish (brown trout, Salmo trutta fario) from seven small Swiss rivers, all receiving inputs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Lipid-weight based concentrations of up to 1800 (4-MBC) and 2400 ng g(-1) (OC) were found. These levels were distinctly higher than those previously observed in white fish (Coregonus sp.) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) from Swiss lakes with inputs from WWTPs. This suggests a higher availability of these contaminants for fish in rivers than in lakes and identifies WWTPs as a major source for UV filters in the aquatic environment. As compared to lake fish, individual fish from a river showed much greater variation in 4-MBC and OC concentrations, likely as a result of a wider range of exposure in rivers than in lakes. 4-MBC concentrations correlated reasonably well with concentrations of methyl triclosan, a chemical marker for lipophilic WWTP-derived contaminants. The ratio P/Q of population (P) in a watershed to water throughflow (Q) is considered to be a measure of the domestic burden from WWTPs. A correlation of methyl triclosan with P/Q was previously observed with lake fish. However, such a correlation could not be confirmed with river fish. The higher average concentrations of OC as compared to 4-MBC in river fish, and the fact that OC was mostly absent in lake fish, suggests differences in bioaccumulation and availability of these two UV filters.