Comparative tissue distribution of butyltin compounds in common cormorants (phalacrocorax carbo) from Japan

Abstract

The concentrations of butyltin compounds were determined in the kidney, liver and ventral feathers of common cormorants from two different population groups in Lake Biwa and Sinobazu pond, Japan. The Lake Biwa cormorants exhibited relatively higher contamination levels in the kidney than those in the Sinobazu pond. The ventral feathers of adult and juvenile cormorants from the Sinobazu pond showed elevated concentrations while in chicks liver accumulated the increased levels. Monobutyltin accumulated preferentially in feathers suggesting a specific binding capacity or higher metabolic rate during the physiologically active periods such as moulting and breeding. Total butyltin levels in the kidney were significantly correlated (r = 0.761, p < 0.0005) with those in liver. The accumulation of butyltin compounds (BTs) in ventral feathers showed a significant positive correlation with those in the internal tissues (kidney + liver) (r = 0.700, p < 0.001) of adult birds. This suggested that the body feathers can be used as an indicator to determine BTs in wild birds.