The Phenomenon of Phototoxicity and How Does It Affect the Human Skin and Potential Solution
The term phototoxicity refers to the possible damage caused by ultraviolet light exposure to photosensitive cells. In fact, phototoxicity is often called "UV toxicity" and is a fairly common side effect of many photochemical processes. Phototoxic substances include organic compounds, such as chlorophyll, that have been exposed to UV light. They are also found in the atmosphere and can be taken into the body via exposure to sunlight. Although there are some phototoxic substances, many of the phototoxic chemicals used in various photochemical processes are either very weak or totally non-toxic. It has been found that UV radiation is capable of damaging DNA by forming covalent bonds. This DNA damage, while not capable of causing any type of genetic defects, can cause mutations in DNA strands, which causes a variety of related problems. The phototoxicity and photobleaching are also often found in other environmental pollutants, such as pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals,...