Organotin residues in Rock Shell, Thais clavigera, and their sources in Kagoshima Bay, Japan

Abstract

Organotin compounds (OTCs) such as tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT), which are contaminating many coastal areas, are known to induce imposex in female gastropods. Hence, imposex induction in the Rock Shell Thais clavigera from 2003 to 2010 and OTC concentrations in the water, sediments, T. clavigera and in their prey were investigated from 2004 to 2006 at Iso (reference site) and Akobaru (polluted site) in Kagoshima Bay, Japan. Almost all female Rock Shells at Akobaru had imposex induction, but none at Iso. Higher concentrations of TBT and TPT in sediments (123 ng g-1 dry weight for TBT and 6.4 ng g−1 for TPT), Rock Shell (97 ∼ 182 ng g−1 for TBT and less than detection limit for TPT) and their prey (2.7 ∼ 289 ng g−1 for TBT and 1.8 ∼ 4.1 ng g−1 for TPT) were detected at Akobaru as compared to Iso. However, TBT and TPT in the water at Akobaru were less than 3.6 ng l−1 and less than 0.2 ng l−1, respectively. These results suggested that prey organisms were the main sources of organotin compounds in Rock Shells, while the source of these compounds in prey organisms was possibly the sediments or suspended particles.