Nanomaterials in Boat-Bottom Coatings Leave Marine Life Vulnerable
DAVIS, CA - Nanomaterials commonly used in sunscreens and boat-bottom coatings are making sea urchin embryos more vulnerable to toxins, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. The authors said this could pose a risk to coastal, marine and freshwater environments.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, is the first to show that the nanomaterials work as chemosensitizers. In cancer treatments, a chemosensitizer makes tumor cells more sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy.