Contamination of natural and cultured mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the northern Adriatic Sea by tributyltin and dibutyltin compounds

Abstract

The levels of tributyltin (TBT) and dibutyltin (DBT) compounds were measured by gas chromatography ion-trap mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) in natural and cultured mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the northern Adriatic Sea in spring 2003. The highest (725 ng g −1 dry weight) and lowest levels (198 ng g −1 dry weight) of butyltins (TBT + DBT) were found in native mussels from the Lagoon of Venice, with the higher values being detected in specimens collected next to a dockyard and the lower values in specimens from a location characterized by strong water exchanges between the lagoon and the Adriatic Sea. The two cultured samples exhibited intermediate concentrations, with marine harvested samples being more contaminated than those from the lagoon.Concentrations of TBT were higher than those of DBT for several reasons: the limited capability of bivalves to metabolize TBT and their ability to accumulate it (with recent input of TBT into the environment as TBT-based anti-fouling paints being the most important contributor of organotin contamination in our study area); and higher lipophilicity of TBT than DBT. In order to find correlations between organotin pollution and the state of nourishment of the mussels, the condition index was also evaluated as the mass ratio of meat dry weight to shell dry weight. There was no correlation between condition index and butyltin concentrations. These results indicate that condition index could not give information about stress conditions, as the contamination level is probably too low to cause significant reductions in mussel growth.

Time trend of Butyl- and Phenyl-Tin contamination in organisms of the Lagoon of Venice (1999–2003)

“…Probably the high concentrations found in autumn-winter were rather due to shipping maintenance activities, a very common practice in this period, than to the high maritime traffic of the summer. 1 Concentrations modified using the conversion factors reported in "Material and methods" Butyltin concentrations found in M. galloprovincialis during the spring-summer period in the area of Chioggia (TBT=528-986, DBT=294-678 ng g −1 d.w., as cations) were higher than those reported in Boscolo et al (2004) who obtained TBT and DBT concentrations of 124-597 and 74-128 ng g −1 d.w. as cation, respectively, in two lagoon sites close to Chioggia in 2003. As reported by Cáceres-Martínez and Figueras (1998), who studied reproductive cycles of M. galloprovincialis in the Ria de Vigo, spring conditions (i.e.…”

Growth of Mytilus galloprovincialis after the Prestige oil spill

“…In the same way, initial differences in CI had no significant effect on the differences in CI obtained during the culture between mussel populations. Condition index has been used widely in growth studies as well as in research specifically related to pollution incidence on bivalve molluscs Guolan and Yong, 1995;Dame, 1996;Hummel et al, 1996;Modassir and Ansari, 2000;Leung and Furness, 2001;Amiard et al, 2004;Boscolo et al, 2004;Duquesne et al, 2004;Pampanin et al, 2005). In our experimental mussel cultures, despite occasional lower CI values for Pindo mussels, there was no clear pattern that persisted for the entire test period.…”

“…CI integrates growth parameters in shell and tissue weights, and is influenced by similar environmental and endogenous factors to tissue dry weight. However, it has been reported that CI is a weak indicator because it is not sensitive to low concentrations of pollutants (Guolan and Yong, 1995;Hummel et al, 1996;Leung and Furness, 2001;Amiard et al, 2004;Boscolo et al, 2004;Duquesne et al, 2004;Pampanin et al, 2005). CI variability is usually attributed to changes in food availability or the gametogenic cycle (Hummel et al, 1996;Amiard et al, 2004;Pampanin et al, 2005).…”

“…Nevertheless, condition index may be a weak indicator because of its variable response to chemicals. Although both growth rate and CI are influenced by similar environmental and endogenous factors, CI seems to be less sensitive than growth rate to chemical stress (Guolan and Yong, 1995), and CI variability is usually attributed to changes in food availability or gametogenic cycle (Hummel et al, 1996;Leung and Furness, 2001;Amiard et al, 2004;Boscolo et al, 2004;Pampanin et al, 2005).…”

Tributyltin in crustacean tissues: analytical performance and validation of method

“…Most studies analyzing BTs used gas chromatography with flame photometric detection (GC-FPD) 10,16 and gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). [17][18][19] In Brazil, some recent studies have used gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detection (GC-PFPD) to analyze BTs in both biotic and abiotic samples. 4,[20][21][22] For analysis of BTs by GC, it is necessary a derivatization step, for which the main used agents are Grignard reagent and sodium tetraethylborate.…”