Distribution of tributyltin in water environments and its biodegradation
1996
Shinoda, Sumio | Ohnogi, Hiromu | Tanaka, Tomonori (Okayama Univ., Okayama (Japan). Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Tributyltin (TBT), a trisubstituted organotin (OT), has been employed as antibiological agents, such as antifouling agents for the bottom of ships or the fishing nets, and the water pollution has recently become an environmental problem. TBT contents of surface water samples from Okayama environments were determined, and seasonal distribution of butyltins, higher amount in summer and lower amount in winter, was observed. When the sediments which contained higher amount of TBT were suspended and incubated in water, TBT release was observed at warm temperature, suggesting that the seasonal distribution of TBT content in surface water was due to release of TBT from sediments. Many bacteria isolated from these aquatic area were resistant to microM TBT; few isolates were even able to grow in 1,000 microM TBT. Presence of microM TBT did not affect biodegradation activity of the environmental microorganisms, although some inhibitory effect was shown by 10 microM TBT. Thus, TBT level detected did not seem to interfere the biological activity of general aquatic bacteria. However, OTs such as TBT are biodegradation-resistant, although they were biodegradated by some bacteria in lower concentration. Therefore they have tendency to accumulate in aquatic plants or animals by bioconcentration. Moreover, aquatic animals and plants are more sensitive to OTs than bacteria. Thus, survey of OTs in these environments should be continued.
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