Insights into the Restoration of Tributyltin Contaminated Environments Using Marine Bacteria from Portuguese Fishing Ports

Abstract

Tributyltin (TBT) is an organotin chemical mainly used as biocide in marine antifouling paints. Despite the restrictions and prohibitions on its use, TBT is still an environmental problem due to its extensive application and subsequent release into the environment, being regarded as one of the most toxic chemicals released into the marine ecosystems. Microorganisms inhabiting impacted sites are crucial for their restoration since they have developed mechanisms to tolerate and break down pollutants. Nonetheless, transformation products resulting from the degradation process may still be toxic or, sometimes, even more toxic than the parent compound. The determination of the parent and degradation products by analytical methods, although necessary, may not be ecologically relevant since no information is provided regarding their ecotoxicity. In this study, marine bacteria collected from seven Portuguese fishing ports were isolated and grown in the presence of TBT. Bacteria that exhibited higher growth were used to bioremediate TBT-contaminated waters. The potential of these bacteria as bioremediation agents was evaluated through ecotoxicological assays using the sea snail Gibbula umbilicalis as model organism. Data suggested that some TBT-tolerant bacteria, such as Pseudomonas putida, can reduce the toxicity of TBT contaminated environments. This work contributes to the knowledge of TBT-degrading bacteria.

Isolation and identification of potent tributyltin chloride utilizing Pseudomonas sp. strain VBAK from Vishakhapatnam shipping harbor sediments

“…The TBT-resistant culture isolation growth behavior represents the toxicity reduction methods into sublethal levels. Strikingly, the potential of these bacteria as bioremediation agents was evaluated through microbiological assays using the Pseudomonas species as model organism [33,35,36]. Kinetics modeling of TBT toxicity on the growth of Bacillus stearothermophilus was studied in a recent report [37].…”

Special Issue: Advancement in Biomonitoring and Remediation Treatments of Pollutants in Aquatic Environments

“…The tolerance mechanisms developed by microorganisms that inhabit the impacted sites could be exploited in remediation processes, for example in [12], where it is reported that marine bacteria collected from seven Portuguese fishing ports were isolated and grown in the presence of Tributyltin (TBT). The bacteria that exhibited higher growth were evaluated for their capability to degrade this highly toxic, endocrine disrupting compound.…”