Distribution of synthetic organotins and total tin levels in Mytilus galloprovincialis along the Portuguese coast.
Despite the huge amount of literature available on butyltins (BuTs), few studies addressed the environmental levels of phenyltins (PhTs), octyltins (OcTs) and total tin (Sn(T)) in environmental samples. In 2006 a mussel watch survey was developed for the Portuguese coast (total of 29 sampling sites) in order to describe the concentrations of BuTs , PhTs, OcTs and Sn(T) in the whole tissues of Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819). BuTs were detected in all analyzed samples accounting, in average, for 98.6% of total organotins (Sigma OTs=BuTs+PhTs+OcTs), and presented highest values in the vicinity of harbors. Tributyltin (TBT) was the dominant butyltin, representing, in average, 62% of summation operatorBuTs (Sigma BuTs=TBT+DBT+MBT) suggesting that fresh inputs of TBT are still occurring in the Portuguese coast, particularly near harbors. The contribution of organotin compounds derived from antifouling paints to the total tin levels in M. galloprovincialis is discussed.
CESAM and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan. Electronic address: anasousa@ua.pt.
Ana
A
Sousa
Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
Tokutaka
T
Ikemoto
Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
Shin
S
Takahashi
CESAM and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
Carlos
C
Barroso
Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
Shinsuke
S
Tanabe
D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D049878:Mytilus / Q000737:chemistry*; D009947:Organotin Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D011174:Portugal; D014001:Tin / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D009947:Organotin Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014001:Tin