Tributyltin analyses in association with NOAA's national status and trends mussel watch program Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • The concentration of butyltins, including tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT), and monobutyltin (MBT), were determined in bivalves and sediments from 36 U.S. coastal sites. Bivalves (oysters and mussels) from 97% and sediment from 75% of these sites were contaminated with butyltins. The average bivalve total butyltin concentration (640 ng/g as Sn) was 18 times higher than the average sediment concentration (36 ng/g as Sn). The most toxic butyltin, TBT, accounts on average for 75% in bivalves and 80% in sediments of the total butyltins present. Sediments may be a long-term chronic source of butyltins to estuarine ecosystems even after TBT inputs cease. Temporal concentration changes were found for Gulf of Mexico oysters, but no seasonal trends were apparent.

author list (cited authors)

  • Wade, T. L., Garcia-Romero, B., & Brooks, J. M.

complete list of authors

  • Wade, TL||Garcia-Romero, B||Brooks, JM

publication date

  • December 1988