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Studies have shown that oxybenzone, a common chemical found in sunscreens, is contributing to coral bleaching in many coral reefs. Apparently even miniscule amounts of this chemical, washed of bathers and swimmers up to 20 miles from a reef, can have devastating effects on corals.
The researchers found that oxybenzone made the corals more susceptible to bleaching at lower temperatures, making them less resilient to climate change. and effects like El nino
They also found that oxybenzone damaged the DNA of the corals, harming their ability to reproduce and setting off a widespread decline in coral populations.
The study also pointed to oxybenzone as an endocrine disruptor, causing young coral to encase itself in its own skeleton, ultimately causing death.
Lastly, the researchers saw evidence of gross deformities caused by oxybenzone, such as coral mouths that expand to five times their healthy, normal size.