Researchers in Korea have discovered a new microorganism that decomposes oxybenzone, a type of environmental hormone.
The National Nakdonggang River Biological Resource Center under the Ministry of Environment announced on the 27th that it has recently found a new microorganism that decomposes oxybenzone, a highly decomposable organic compound. Researchers at the Nakdonggang River Biological Resources Center explained that they found a microorganism in the Rhodococcus that decomposes oxybenzone in rivers around an industrial complex in Incheon, along with researchers at Chung-Ang University.
The researchers named the newly discovered microorganism "Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans," which includes the Latin word "vorans," which means "to eat, swallow."
Oxybenzone, an endocrine disruptor commonly called environmental hormone, is a benzene-based organic compound that is mainly used in cosmetics such as sunscreen. It can affect the aquatic ecosystem, so the blending limit is limited to 5% when making sunscreen.
Hawaii has banned the sale of sunscreen containing oxybenzone since January last year because it affects coral reefs.
The researchers believe that this microorganism can be injected into the purification process such as wastewater. The researchers also investigated the process of oxybenzon degradation of rhodococcus oxybenzoniborans.
Rhodococcus oxybenzoniborans was found to completely remove 100mg of oxybenzones in 1 liter fresh water within 10 days. No harmful by-products were produced during the decomposition process, the researchers said.
Writer: Grace Jun
(Picture from The National Nakdonggang River Biological Resource Center)
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