Coral ecotoxicology testing for cosmetic and sunscreen formulations and SPF ingredients
A closed-loop laboratory in Brittany, France. We cultivate our own coral mother colonies and run acute (96h) ecotoxicity tests on cosmetic formulations and SPF ingredients, with an optional 3-month chronic study (plus 1-month recovery), across up to 50 coral species and 30 genera, Indo-Pacific, Caribbean, and Mediterranean.
Every engagement begins with a free predictive pre-evaluation: six formulation pillars plus ICP-OES water analysis, with Hawaii Act 104, US Virgin Islands Act 8185, and Palau RPPL 10-30 ingredient-compliance screening built in. Brands get defensible, publishable coral ecotox results from their live-coral tests.
Closed-loop cultivation
The predictive pre-evaluation
Before any coral is exposed, we score your formulation across six pillars plus ICP-OES water analysis.
The pre-evaluation is free, included with every engagement, and runs upstream of every live-coral test. It produces a risk classification (Low / Moderate / High / Very high) and routes your formulation to the compatible test panel, and screens it against Hawaii Act 104 (2021), US Virgin Islands Act 8185 (2020), and Palau RPPL 10-30 (2020) in the same step.
Testing services
From the predictive scoring step to the long-horizon chronic test.
Free Pre-Evaluation
Six pillars + ICP-OES + Hawaii Act 104 + US Virgin Islands Act 8185 + Palau RPPL 10-30 screening. Included free with every test engagement.
ReeFilter
Acute SPF ingredient test, 96h on 1 to 3 corals, 6 concentrations. EC50, LOEC, NOEC.
ReefTox 1
Acute formulation test on 1 hard SPS species. 96h exposure, 2 to 3 week report turnaround.
ReefTox 3
Acute formulation test on 3 species, hard SPS, hard LPS, soft.
ReefTox 12
Broader acute panel across 12 species.
ReefTox 50
Full-spectrum panel, up to 50 coral species across 30 genera.
Reef Chronic 1
3-month chronic + 1-month recovery. EC10, EC50. An optional continuous-exposure add-on for formulations that need long-horizon characterisation.
Inside the lab
Coral test panel in the ReefTox lab, Arzal, Brittany. Each formulation is exposed to live coral fragments mounted on the testing grid before any result is scored.
Why R&D teams engage now
Reef-claim enforcement has moved from marketing pressure to active prosecution.
US enforcement
Santa Clara County DA (May to June 2025): multiple US sunscreen brands penalized or under settlement for "reef friendly" and "reef-safe" claims unsupported by ecotox data.
Federal anchor
FTC Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260) require "competent and reliable scientific evidence" for environmental claims. Coral ecotox data is what that means for sunscreen.
State + national bans
Hawaii Act 104 (2021), US Virgin Islands Act 8185 (2020), Key West (Jan 2021), Palau RPPL 10-30 (2020, 10 ingredients). Florida and California evaluating expansions.
EU pipeline
EU Green Claims Directive under negotiation. AGEC, REACH, Cosmetics Regulation Article 23, claim substantiation tightening across the bloc.
Every engagement begins with a free predictive pre-evaluation.
Six pillars, ICP-OES water analysis, and ingredient compliance screening, before any coral is exposed.
