title: Contamination status and accumulation profiles of organotins in sea otters (Enhydra lutris) found dead along the coasts of California, Washington, Alaska (USA), and Kamchatka (Russia).
abstract: Organotin compounds (OTs) including mono- to tri-butyltins, -phenyltins, and -octyltins were determined in the liver of adult sea otters (Enhydra lutris) found dead along the coasts of California, Washington, and Alaska in the USA and Kamchatka, Russia. Total concentrations of OTs in sea otters from California ranged from 34 to 4100ng/g on a wet weight basis. The order of concentrations of OTs in sea otters was total butyltins>>total octyltins> or = total phenyltins. Elevated concentrations of butyltins (BTs) were found in some otters classified under 'infectious-disease' mortality category. Concentrations of BTs in few of these otters were close to or above the threshold levels for adverse health effects. Total butyltin concentrations decreased significantly in the livers of California sea otters since the 1990s. Based on the concentrations of organotins in sea otters collected from 1992 to 2002, the half-lives of tributyltin and total butyltins in sea otters were estimated to be approximately three years.
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Agusa
authors.forename: Nancy J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Kurunthachalam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kannan
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanabe
mesh_terms: D000413:Alaska; D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D003141:Communicable Diseases; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D009947:Organotin Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010041:Otters / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012426:Russia; D013997:Time Factors; D014861:Washington; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009947:Organotin Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical