| dc.description.abstract | Oganotins, especially tributyltin (TBT) compounds, are used in a wide range of applications including stabilizers in the PVC industry, plastic additives, industrial catalysts, insecticides, fungicides, bactericides, wood preservatives and antifouling paints (Hwang et al. 1999; Hoch 2001). As an antifouling paint additive it is used exclusively on ship and boat hulls, sewage pipe systems, docks, fishnets and buoys to prevent the growth and attachment of barnacles, mussels, tube worms, algae and other marine fouling organisms. Such large scale utilization has resulted in the occurrence and high abundance of TBT and other organotins in many aquatic and marine environments (Hoch 2001; Champ 2000). TBT is one of the most toxic compounds to be introduced deliberately into marine environment by man (Goldbarg 1986). Even at very low concentration (less than 10 ng/l), TBT can cause several detrimental effects on non target organisms, including high larval mortality, severe malformation of shells and reduced reproduction in oysters (Alzieu 1991, 2000), imposex in dogwhelk populations (Law et al. 1998; Evans et al. 2000), growth retardation in mussels (Salazar and Salazar 1991) and microalgae (Beaumont and Newman 1986). Because of these environmental effects many countries have formulated laws to control the usage of TBT. India is one of the most rapidly developing countries in South-Asia. In India, TBT compounds have been used as an antifouling agent in marine paints. The usage of organotins is not controlled in India. Further, little is known of organotion concentrations in the marine environments of India. Results of the first survey of butyltins in oysters from the Indian waters is presented. To elucidate the levels of butyltins, TBT and its degradation product, DBT were determined in the edible oyster Saccostrea cucculata collected from the Dona Paula Bay, west coast of India over a period of 15 months from May 1999 to July 2000. | |
