Human Exposure, Biomarkers, and Fate of Organotins in the Environment

Abstract

Organotin compounds result from the addition of organic moieties to inorganic tin.Thus, one or more tin-carbon bonds exist in each organotin molecule. The organo-tin compounds are ubiquitous in the environment. Organotin compounds have many uses, including those as fungicides and stabilizers in plastics, among others in industry. The widespread use of organotins as antifouling agents in boat paints has resulted in pollution of freshwater and marine ecosystems. The presence of organotin compounds in freshwater and marine ecosystems is now understood to be a threat, because of the amounts found in water and the toxicity of some organotin compounds to aquatic organisms, and perhaps to humans as well. Organotin com-pounds are regarded by many to be global pollutants of a stature similar to biphenyl,mercury, and the polychlorinated dibenzodioxins. This stature results from the high toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation, and endocrine disruptive features of even very low levels of selected organotin compounds.Efforts by selected governmental agencies and others have been undertaken to find a global solution to organotin pollution. France was the first country to ban the use of the organotins in 1980. This occurred before the international maritime organization (IMO) called for a global treaty to ban the application of tributyltin (TBT)-based paints. In this chapter, we review the organotin compounds with emphasis on the human exposure, fate, and distribution of them in the environment. The widespread use of the organotins and their high stability have led to contamination of some aquatic ecosystems. As a result, residues of the organotins may reach humans via food consumption. Notwithstanding the risk of human exposure, only limited data are available on the levels at which the organotins exist in foodstuffs consumed by humans. Moreover, the response of marine species to the organotins, such as TBT, has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, more data on the organotins and the consequences of exposure to them are needed. In particular, we believe the following areas need attention: expanded toxicity testing in aquatic species, human exposure, human body burdens, and the research to identify biomarkers for testing the toxicity of the organotins to marine invertebrates.

Transgenerational effects of obesogens and the obesity epidemic

“…Exposure is likely to occur through consumption of seafood contaminated with TBT and via the use of TBT and related chemicals as fungicides and miticides on food crops, in wood treatments, industrial water systems, textiles, and via leaching of organotin-stabilized PVC from water pipes, food wrap and other plastics [47]. Organotins have also been found in appreciable levels in house dust, suggesting that much of the population is exposed on a regular basis [48].…”

Mixtures of benzo(a)pyrene, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and tributyltin are more toxic to neotropical fish Rhamdia quelen than isolated exposures

“…Among the effects of DDT and its metabolites the oxidative stress in mammal cells is an important finding (Perez-Maldonado et al, 2005;Yanez et al, 2004). Tributyltin (TBT): one of the most important toxic anthropogenic agents released and accumulated in marine environment due to its persistence, bioaccumulative properties and high toxicity to several organisms (Okoro et al, 2011). To our knowledge, there is still a lack of studies focusing on the combined effects of these three contaminants.…”

Transgenerational inheritance of prenatal obesogen exposure

“…TPT is widely used in agriculture and TBT in industry. Human exposure to organotins occurs through dietary sources (seafood and shellfish), from organotin use as fungicides and miticides on food crops, in wood treatments, industrial water systems, textiles, and via leaching of organotin-stabilized PVC from water pipes, food wrap and other plastics [39–41]. Organotins have also been found in appreciable levels in house dust, suggesting that exposure is widespread [42].…”