Butyltin accumulation in the marine clam Mya arenaria: An evaluation of its suitability for monitoring butyltin pollution

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Yang, Rui-qiang, Zhou, Qun-fang, Jiang, Gui-bin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Arenaria; Bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Biomonitor; Bivalvia - chemistry; China; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on protozoa and invertebrates; Environmental Monitoring; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Kinetics; Marine; Mya arenaria; Mytilus edulis; Mytilus edulis - chemistry; Organotin Compounds - analysis; Organotin Compounds - metabolism; Seawater - chemistry; TBT; Time Factors; Tissue Distribution; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; China; Mya arenaria; Biomonitor; Mytilus edulis; Bioaccumulation; TBT; Biological indicator; Biological monitoring; Marine environment; Aquatic environment; Pollution; Bivalvia; Water pollution; Invertebrata; Mollusca; Biological accumulation; Tin Organic compounds; Organic stannane; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.07.074

The use of Mya arenaria as a new sensitive biomonitor of butyltins pollution in the oceanic system was investigated. Field survey indicated that much higher levels of butyltin compounds were found in M. arenaria compared with the other species investigated. Using Mytilus edulis as a control organism, a 28 days exposure of tributyltin chloride (TBT) to M. arenaria for accumulation and subsequent 28 days breeding in clean seawater for elimination were conducted under laboratory conditions in order to confirm its high accumulation ability and characterize its kinetic behavior to TBT. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) of M. arenaria ranged from 15 538 to 91 800 after 28 days exposure. The rapid uptake and low rate to eliminate TBT of M. arenaria displayed first-order kinetics. M. arenaria shows potential as a new bioindicator to monitor TBT pollution in marine environment.