title: Temporal and spatial variability of organotins in an intermittent Mediterranean river.
abstract: Organotin compounds (OTs) are exclusively anthropogenic and have been widely used for their biocidal properties and as stabilizers in various industrial applications. Hence organotins are common pollutants. Their high toxicity has led to their entry on the EU water framework's priority substances' list. However, few studies are available regarding their behaviour in surface waters, in particular, in intermittent Mediterranean rivers. The Vène is an intermittent river located in Languedoc-Roussillon, southern France. It is the main tributary of an important shellfish farming site: the Thau lagoon. The present study aims at establishing the presence of OTs on a 1.5 km long reach of the river into which a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) discharges. The study is carried out during steady-state flow conditions over two consecutive years and investigates potential OTs sources in everyday domestic activities. Routine field monitoring was carried out over a 5 month period during the springs of 2008 and 2009. The results establish the presence of butyltins and octyltins throughout the 1.5 km long reach at concentrations exceeding the maximum allowable concentration levels imposed by the water framework directive. The WWTP is recognized as an important OTs point source; however, using trace and rare earth elements as tracers, an urban stormwater sewage gutter is identified as a secondary source. Its impact on the river's pollutant loads is however variable in time because of flow intermittency. The paper discusses the need for specific monitoring and management schemes for intermittent rivers.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR HydroSciences Montpellier, Université Montpellier 2, Case courrier MSE, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France. chahinian@msem.univ-montp2.fr
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chahinian
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bancon-Montigny
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brunel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aubert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salles
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marchand
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodier
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Seidel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gayrard
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Tournoud
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005602:France; D009947:Organotin Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009947:Organotin Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Domestic pollution; Intermittent rivers; Organotins; Stabilization pond