Toxicity of Triphenyltin Hydroxide to Fish

Abstract

Triphenyltin (TPhT) is used worldwide in pesticide formulas for agriculture. Toxic effects of this compound to aquatic life have been reported; however, the biochemical response of fish exposed to different concentrations of TPhT hydroxide (TPhTH) was investigated for the first time in this study. The lethal concentration (LC50) of TPhTH to silver catfish, Rhamdia quelen, was calculated from an acute-exposure experiment (96 h). In addition, acethylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in brain and muscle-as well as glucose, glycogen, lactate, total protein, ammonia, and free amino acids in liver and muscle-were evaluated in a chronic-exposure experiment (15-day exposure). Speciation analysis of tin (Sn) was performed in fish tissues at the end of both experiments using gas chromatography coupled to a pulsed-flame photometric detector (GC-PFPD). Concentrations of TPhT, diphenyltin, and monophenyltin (reported as Sn) were lower than limits of quantification (10σ criteria). Waterborne TPhTH concentration used through the experiment was also evaluated by GC-PFPD, and no degradation of this species was observed. The LC50 value for silver catfish juveniles was 9.73 μg L(-1) (as Sn). Decreased brain and muscle AChE activities were observed in fish exposed to TPhTH in relation to unexposed fish (control). Liver glycogen and lactate levels were significantly higher in fish kept at the highest waterborne TPhTH concentration compared with the control. Liver and muscle glucose levels of fish exposed to all TPhTH concentrations were significantly lower than those of control fish. Silver catfish exposed to all TPhTH concentrations showed lower total protein values and higher total free amino acids levels in liver and muscle compared with controls. Total ammonia levels in liver and muscle were significantly higher for the highest TPhTH concentration compared with controls. In conclusion, TPhTH caused metabolic alterations in silver catfish juveniles, and the analyzed parameters can also be used as bioindicators for TPhTH contamination.

Body size-dependent toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics could explain intra- and interspecies variability in sensitivity

“…However, scaling the elimination rate constant with volumetric length also requires that the relation between the effective area for exchange and the surface L 2 is comparable among species. For instance, in fish, the gill area is probably much larger than predicted from a scaling of arthropods based on volumetric length, which might help to explain that fish LC 50 values reported for TPT were lower than (Jarvinen et al, 1988) or comparable to (Antes et al, 2013) the toxicity values found for smaller sized arthropods in our study and elsewhere. Furthermore, body lipid content may play a role in toxicokinetics as TPT is highly lipophilic (log K OW of 3.53) and is taken up rapidly (Arnold et al, 1997).…”

Pesticides and Herbicides

“…The authors found that short term exposures affected primarily mayfly and caddisfly species, whereas long term exposure had chronic toxic effects on mayflies. Qi et al Antes et al (2013). LC50 values were conducted for acute toxicity and 9.73 µg L-1 was recorded, while metabolic disturbances were recorded for chronic toxicity exposure of TPhT.…”

Simultaneous determination of three organotin pesticides in fruits and vegetables by high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

“…Triphenyltin hydroxide (TPhTH, Figure ), also known as fentin hydroxide, is used worldwide in pesticide formulas for agriculture . Metabolic alterations occurred in silver catfish juveniles ( Rhamdia quelen ) due to exposure to TPhTH even at low concentrations (1–2 μg kg −1 ) . These OTPs can contribute to farmland organotin pollution, and enter the food chain by accumulation in different plants destined for human consumption, posing a potential danger to human health.…”