IngentaConnect Bioaccumulation of Organotin Compounds and Imposex Occurrence in ...

Authors: Mensink B.P.¹; Boon J.P.¹; ten Hallers-Tjabbes C.C.²; van Hattum B.³; Koeman J.H.⁴

Source: Environmental Technology, Volume 18, Number 12, 1 December 1997 , pp. 1235-1244(10)

Abstract:

During several seasons in 1995 common whelks (Buccinum undatum), mussels (Mytilus edulis) and sediment were analysed for organotin compounds. For butyltin compounds, the order of concentrations in whole body homogenate of common whelks was DBT>MBT>TBT. TBT was usually just above the detection limit except for the samples of the neural ganglia (nerve centre) taken in September. Here, only TBT could be detected, while the TBT/TPT ratio was >1. This could be important since the induction of imposex concerns the involvement of neuropeptides and/or steroid hormones. TPT concentrations in whole body homogenates of common whelks were 4–100 times higher than those of TBT. TPT clearly showed much higher levels than its metabolites DPT and MPT. No structural differences in organotin contamination were found between the sexes, different stages of imposex, or adult and juvenile common whelks. In mussels, TBT>DBT>MBT, but phenyltin ratios were comparable to those in the common whelk. Phenyltin whole body concentrations, however, were 5–10 fold below those of B. undatum. Biomagnification of butyltin compounds is not expected, whereas comparison of phenyltin ratios between the two species suggests biomagnification. In total sediment samples organotins were usually below their detection limit. The percentage of adult and juvenile female B. undatum showing imposex was > 95% throughout the year.

Keywords: Butyltins; Phenyltins; imposex; Buccinum undatum

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, The Netherlands 2: Cato Marine Ecosystems, Oosterweg 1, 9995 VJ Kantens, The Netherlands 3: Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1115, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 4: Department of Toxicology, Wageningen Agricultural University, P.O. Box 8000, 6700 EA Wageningen, The Netherlands

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Bioaccumulation of Organotin Compounds and Imposex Occurrence in a Marine Food Chain (Eastern Scheldt, The Netherlands)