Occurrence of butyltin compounds in mussels in Canada

✍ Scribed by Y. K. Chau; R. J. Maguire; M. Brown; F. Yang; S. P. Batchelor; J. A. J. Thompson

• Book ID: 101281210
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 129 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0268-2605
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0739(199710/11)11:10/11<903::aid-aoc658>3.0.co;2-c

✦ Synopsis

The presence of the highly toxic antifouling agent tributyltin (TBT) and its degradation products was determined in four species of mussels collected from 34 locations in fresh water in Ontario and in sea water on Canada's west and east coasts. The purpose of the study was to establish baseline information in order to assess TBT trends in mussels after the 1989 Canadian regulation of antifouling uses of TBT. In fresh water, concentrations of TBT were much higher in zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) than in Elliptio complanata or Lampsilis radiata radiata. High concentrations of TBT were also found in Mytilus edulus in sea water. Residues of TBT in all species were similar to those that have been determined in other parts of the world before and after the regulation of antifouling uses of TBT in various countries. Analyses for degradation products indicated that zebra mussels metabolize TBT at about the same rate as L. radiata radiata and M. edulis, but more slowly than E. complanata.