My project is to determine whether parabens and sunscreen agents
are present in the sediment of the Potomac River and to quantify their
presence. Parabens are a type of preservative that are used in many household
items such as cosmetics, deodorants, and shampoos. Sunscreen agents are the
compounds in sunscreen that absorb UV light. Both parabens and sunscreen agents
have a small amount of estrogenic activity, meaning that that the compounds can
act like estrogen. When we take showers, wash our faces, etc. these parabens
and sunscreen agents wash away into our sewage to be treated by wastewater
treatment plants. Local wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) have been investigated for the presence of
different compounds with estrogenic activity and findings indicate sunscreen
agents and parabens may be in the discharge of the WTPs.
I was interested in this project because I want to understand
the impact of humans on the environment and the impact of these environmental
changes on human health. Before I can research the direct impact of
human-caused environmental changes on human health, I need to understand the
impact of human consumption and waste on the environment through this project
examining the contamination of parabens and sunscreen agents in the Potomac River.
I am currently on the pre-med track. This research will inform my understanding
of our exposures to compounds with estrogenic activity. Changes in our hormonal
activity have been a source of increasing interest in the medical community
with connections to diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
