WHAT IS
CORAL BLEACHING?

4 min read

Coral bleaching is a process whereby corals lose their distinctive color because the symbiotic micro-algae living within them die due to changes in ocean water. Because the algae provide many corals with 90% of their energy through photosynthesis, bleaching ultimately leads to the death of some coral species. The phenomenon occurs primarily due to temperature changes, disease-causing bacteria, pollution and ocean acidification due to the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

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DO LA ROCHE-POSAY MAJOR
SUN FILTERS CAUSE CORAL BLEACHING?

Both of La Roche-Posay’s primary filters, Mexoryl SX and Mexoryl XL, have been extensively tested with regard to marine environments. In ecotoxicology testing, 5 weeks’ exposure to these filters at concentrations higher than those found in sea water neither induced coral bleaching nor had any negative effect on the coral’s symbiotic micro-algae.

THE TARA PACIFIC 2016-2018 EXPEDITION:
AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO WORLDWIDE CORAL RESEARCH

Working in collaboration with scientific institutes, Tara Expeditions is a private French not-for-profit initiative that has been organizing campaigns to study and better understand the impact of climate change and the ecological crisis facing our oceans since 2003. La Roche-Posay rejoices L’Oréal Group’s collaboration with Tara Expeditions on a new, 2-year research project in Asia-Pacific. The aim is to run an innovative study on coral reefs in partnership with the CNRS*, Paris Sciences et Lettres** and the Scientific Centre of Monaco***. The objectives are two-fold: to discover coral’s hidden diversity and better grasp its ability to adapt to climate change.

* Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, French National Scientific Research Cent
** Paris-based research university
*** An oceanographic research center committed to the preservation of marine life