Possible risks of lotion?

[Fieroguy19]

So I was wondering what the potential risks are from using lotion on your hands/arms and then putting them in your tank an hour later. I have dry skin and worry about getting chemicals in the tank from the lotion. Do you think that there would be cause for concern?

[disc1]

It really can be. Some of the oils and emulsifiers in the lotions really irritate fish and corals. Would be best to get some nice long rubber gloves to wear when you work on the tank. That isn't a bad idea even if you don't use lotion.

[Fieroguy19]

I have tried the aqua gloves but they are way too bulky, especially when you have a tank full of SPS colonies. Maybe I will have to search for some nitrile gloves that will go up to my armpit.

[bertoni]

I got disposables from LabSupply.com for times when I didn't want to wear heavy gloves.

[Chris Lakies]

I always wash my hands/arms with hot water and non fragrant dish soap before going in tank.

[jkcoon]

I generally just rinse off well and the put on nitrile gloves with a rubber band around the wrist to keep water out.... it doesnt solve the arm isssue but figure it helps some. I think the real key is not to apply lotion prior to putting hands in tank and rinse off well before.

[softieatheart]

For what it is worth, you can by thin, disposable, shoulder-length vet gloves in the animal husbandry section at Farm and Fleet.

[unhandleable]

Hmmmm, I was thinking about this same thing today, thanks for all the good information!

[Chris27]

Why not just wash your hands and arms with a degreasing type soap before putting them in the tank? We all should wash our hands before putting them into the tank anyhow...either that or use the shoulder length gloves from the horse store....does everyone know what they are for....:)

[HighlandReefer]

There are concerns regarding the UV protection compounds commonly found in many health care lotions as well as sun screen lotions. I have not found an article I can read with toxicology studies for coral. Fish seem to have a fairly high toxicity to these products, well in excess of 100 ppb. Snails in the research seem to be around that of many fish at 400 ppb. Studies have really just begun. They are currently finding levels around 0.5 ppb naturally occuring in enviroments and are concerned about this. ;)


Ecotoxicological effect characterisation of widely used organic UV filters
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749111006713

Abstract

Chemical UV filters are used in sun protection and personal care products in order to protect consumers from skin cancer induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of three common UV filters butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane (B-MDM) ethylhexyl-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) and octocrylene (OCR) on aquatic organism, focussing particularly on infaunal and epibentic invertebrates (Chironomus riparius, Lumbriculus variegatus, Melanoides tuberculata and Potamopyrgus antipodarum). Due to their life habits, these organism are especially affected by lipophilic substances. Additionally, two direct sediment contact assays utilising zebra fish (Danio rerio) embryos and bacteria (Arthrobacter globiformis) were conducted.

EHMC caused a toxic effect on reproduction in both snails with lowest observed effect concentrations (LOEC) of 0.4 mg/kg (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) and 10 mg/kg (Melanoides tuberculata). At high concentrations sublethal effects could be observed for D. rerio after exposure to EHMC (NOEC 100 mg/kg). B-MDM and OCR showed no effects on any of the tested organism.

[Allmost]

I wash my hand with water, dry, then wash again and go in ...

then dip my hand in vinegar after ....I get some alergic reaction if I dont wash my hand iwth vinegar after ...

[Fieroguy19]

For what it is worth, you can by thin, disposable, shoulder-length vet gloves in the animal husbandry section at Farm and Fleet.

I will have to check these out. Thanks

[Sport507]

For what it is worth, you can by thin, disposable, shoulder-length vet gloves in the animal husbandry section at Farm and Fleet.

Good advice.

They are primarily used for birthing livestock. If you need to go in to turn a calf, pig or foal (baby horse)that's what Farm and Fleet carries them for, but could be great for reef keeping too.

Just an ole farm boy here we didn’t have things like that in my days on the farm. Still go in bare handed tanks of course, but still wash up like I was going to pull a calf.

[jscarlata]

if i rememebr, i use some denatured alcohol and clean my hands and arms before going in..i had those big red gloves but both devleoped leaks and i chucked them...need to re-stock up, but i gree with you that they are too bulky to pickup anything delicately...

[jeffreylesser]

There are concerns regarding the UV protection compounds commonly found in many health care lotions as well as sun screen lotions. I have not found an article I can read with toxicology studies for coral. Fish seem to have a fairly high toxicity to these products, well in excess of 100 ppb. Snails in the research seem to be around that of many fish at 400 ppb. Studies have really just begun. They are currently finding levels around 0.5 ppb naturally occuring in enviroments and are concerned about this. ;)


Ecotoxicological effect characterisation of widely used organic UV filters
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749111006713

Abstract

Chemical UV filters are used in sun protection and personal care products in order to protect consumers from skin cancer induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of three common UV filters butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane (B-MDM) ethylhexyl-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) and octocrylene (OCR) on aquatic organism, focussing particularly on infaunal and epibentic invertebrates (Chironomus riparius, Lumbriculus variegatus, Melanoides tuberculata and Potamopyrgus antipodarum). Due to their life habits, these organism are especially affected by lipophilic substances. Additionally, two direct sediment contact assays utilising zebra fish (Danio rerio) embryos and bacteria (Arthrobacter globiformis) were conducted.

EHMC caused a toxic effect on reproduction in both snails with lowest observed effect concentrations (LOEC) of 0.4 mg/kg (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) and 10 mg/kg (Melanoides tuberculata). At high concentrations sublethal effects could be observed for D. rerio after exposure to EHMC (NOEC 100 mg/kg). B-MDM and OCR showed no effects on any of the tested organism.

There is a short article in Coral Magazine Volume 5 Number 5, Pg 92 titled "Sunscreen is Highly Toxic to Corals.

It references:
Danovaro, R., L. Bongiorni, C. Corinaldesi, D. Giovannelli, E. Damiani, O. Astolfi, L. Greci and A.Pusceddu. 2008. Sunscreens cause coral bleaching by promoting viral infections. Environ Health Perspect 1 16(4):441-447

[HighlandReefer]

Thanks for the info. ;)

What where the toxicity levels to coral and related reef organisms ranging at. I can't find anything by search what you posted. :)

[seapug]

If you are having dry skin issues, consider a petroleum jelly based moisturizer like Aquaphor. A small amount goes a long way and doesn't dissolve in water like glycerin based lotions.

[jeffreylesser]

Thanks for the info. ;)

What where the toxicity levels to coral and related reef organisms ranging at. I can't find anything by search what you posted. :)

Im trying this from my phone hope it works

http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1289/ehp.10966

[windyridge]

I have often forgotten and stuck my lotioned arm in the tank. It was after a few hours and there was no apparent effect on my livesotck. There is no sunscreen though. The big red gloves don't allow much dexterity, so sometimes I have to put an arm in, but our LFS has different arm length gloves, tan in color, that are thinner and therefore your sense of touch isn't totally obliterated and they are only $8 I think. I am thinking of picking up a pair next time I am up there. I also get an allergic reaction after I stick my arm in the water for any length of time. Itchy and sometimes a rash.

[tmz]

Gloves are good for you too. Folks get some very nasty ,emergency room type infections from reef tanks.

[HighlandReefer]

Im trying this from my phone hope it works

http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1289/ehp.10966

Many thanks. :)

It is interesting that the sunscreens induce a virus which kills the coral tested at low levels (10 ppb). They expect 20% of the chemical to wash off sun bathers. Sounds like these screens are just as toxic as copper and perhaps more toxic since organics don't have any effect. The sun screen chemicals do seem to persist for quite long periods in the ocean environments.

From the article of interest:

"Coral bleaching caused by sunscreens and UV filters

In all replicates and at all sampling sites, sunscreen addition even in very low quantities (i.e., 10 μL/L) resulted in the release of large amounts of coral mucous (composed of zooxanthellae and coral tissue) within 18–48 hr, and complete bleaching of hard corals within 96 hr (Figure 1; Table 1). Different sunscreen brands, protective factors, and concentrations were compared, and all treatments caused bleaching of hard corals, although the rates of bleaching were faster when larger quantities were used (Table 1). Untreated nubbins (coral branches of 3–6 cm) used as controls did not show any change during the entire duration of the experiments (Table 1). Bleaching was faster in systems subjected to higher temperature, suggesting synergistic effects with this variable (Table 1; Figure 2). TEM and epifluorescence microscopy analyses revealed a loss of photo-synthetic pigments and membrane integrity in the zooxanthellae released from treated corals (30–98% of zooxanthellae released from Acropora nubbins were partially or totally damaged, appearing pale and transparent), whereas zooxanthellae membranes from untreated corals were intact (37–100% of the zooxanthellae released showed a defined shape and red fluorescing color; Figures 3 and 4). All these results indicate that sunscreens have a rapid effect on hard corals and cause bleaching by damaging the symbiotic zooxanthellae."

[fishguy597]

I was in Mexico recently at the cenotes they made you wear biodegradable suntan lotion and recommended. the same thing for diving at the reefs. They also didn't want lotion of any kind on your body. that's a lot of water I can only imagine what it would do in our tanks.

[Chris27]

Gloves are good for you too. Folks get some very nasty ,emergency room type infections from reef tanks.

Black sponge ..... nasty stuff

[jeffreylesser]

Many thanks. :)

It is interesting that the sunscreens induce a virus which kills the coral tested at low levels (10 ppb). They expect 20% of the chemical to wash off sun bathers. Sounds like these screens are just as toxic as copper and perhaps more toxic since organics don't have any effect. The sun screen chemicals do seem to persist for quite long periods in the ocean environments.


You're welcome. I found this interesting as I had not read the whole paper before. The coral magazine article was basically a summary of the abstract.

Most of the paper seems pretty sound, except for the estimation of how much sunscreen enters the water. In all fairness, determining this number seems pretty much impossible to me.

[f3honda4me]

Here's the nitrile gloves I got. They're perfect.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PBEIZQ/ref=oh_o02_s00_i00_details

[HighlandReefer]

Most of the paper seems pretty sound, except for the estimation of how much sunscreen enters the water. In all fairness, determining this number seems pretty much impossible to me.

I agree. ;)

[120reefermadnes]

I just wash real well before working in my tank