Sharkless Makeup > Sharkless Oceans

Since 1970, the global abundance of sharks has declined by 71% owing to an 18-fold increase in fishing pressure. The number of sharks caught as bycatch now exceeds the number of targeted catches, though industrial uses of bycatch are unknown. Trade routes for shark fins and meat are relatively well documented, but little is known about shark liver oil ‚Äî the richest natural source for squalene ‚Äî principally used in cosmetics. Endpoint market monitoring is crucial for improving our understanding of the shark trade. Stable isotope analysis of ·∫ü C using gas chromatography - combustion - isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS) can successfully determine squalene's source in finished cosmetic samples of mixed squalene origin. Results show that 26% of cosmetics contain shark-derived squalane, including samples carrying vegan or plant-based squalane claims. This research points to the urgent need for raw materials testing and the acquisition of species-specific data to eliminate this commercial threat to sharks.