title: Imposex in the rock shell, Thais clavigera, as evidence of organotin contamination in the marine environment of Korea.
abstract: Imposex was measured in the rock shell, Thais clavigera, from the coast of the Korean peninsula. Frequency of imposex was 0% at two reference sites, but at 47 out of 61 sites, frequency of imposex was recorded as 100%. The degree of imposex was relatively high at the sites near a harbor and a shipyard. Tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) concentrations in T. clavigera ranged from 5 to 508 ng/g and from 3 to 2460 ng/g, respectively. A significant positive relationship was found between degree of imposex and organotin concentration, whereas a significant negative relationship was obtained between female-to-male sex ratio and the degree of imposex. During a field transplantation of T. clavigera from a pristine area to a port, TBT and TPT were accumulated in T. clavigera, and imposex was induced. T. clavigera shows considerable potential as a bioindicator species of the adverse effects of TBT and TPT contamination.
authors: Chemical Oceanography Division, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Ansan PO Box 29, Seoul 425-600, South Korea. wjshim@sari.kordi.re.kr
authors: W J
authors: WJ
authors: Shim
authors: S H
authors: SH
authors: Kahng
authors: S H
authors: SH
authors: Hong
authors: N S
authors: NS
authors: Kim
authors: S K
authors: SK
authors: Kim
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Shim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000002:abnormalities*; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008974:Mollusca / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D009947:Organotin Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis*; D012744:Sex Ratio; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009947:Organotin Compounds; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C011559:tributyltin; C030665:triphenyltin