The content of butyl- and phenyltin derivatives in the sediment from the Port of Gdansk

Abstract

Harbor sediments containing large deposits of organotin compounds constitute a potential threat to the marine environment. Samples of harbor sediments were collected twice in the years 2003 and 2005 from the following locations: Ziółkowskiego, Siarkowe, Wiślane, Węglowe, Chemików and Paliw Płynnych Quays. The cores of 25 cm length sliced into 2- and 5-cm segments were analyzed. After drying and homogenization, samples were split into two granulometric fractions, i.e. <2.00 and <0.063 mm. The dominant fraction in whole sediment, i.e. fraction grain diameter <2.00 mm, was sand (grain diameter 2.00–0.063 mm). However, the highest concentrations of butyltin (BT) and phenyltin (PT) compounds were found in the fine sediment fraction. The mean values of tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) in the analyzed samples in the <2.00 mm fraction were 2144.9, 434.7 and 148.1 ngSn g −1 d.w., respectively, while the corresponding mean values in the <0.063 mm fraction were 6556.4, 1593.7 and 450.0 ngSn g −1 d.w. The mean concentrations of monophenyltin (MPhT) have been estimated at 29.0 and 49.9 ngSn g −1 d.w. for the <2.00 and <0.063 mm fraction sizes, respectively. The estimated content levels of diphenyltin (DPhT) and triphenyltin (TPhT) were in most cases below the detection limit of the applied method. The sediment cores collected from the locations characterized by high industrialization and intense exploitation (Wiślane, Węglowe Quays) contained the highest concentrations of BT and PT.