Organotin levels in seafood and its implications for health risk in high-seafood consumers

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 388; no. 1; pp. 66 - 77
• Main Authors: Guérin, T., Sirot, V., Volatier, J.-L., Leblanc, J.-C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 15.12.2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Dietary exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Food Contamination - analysis; France; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Middle Aged; Ocean and human health; Organotin Compounds - analysis; Organotins; Risk Assessment; Salmonidae; Scomber; Seafood; Seafood safety; Speciation; Survey; Thunnus; Toxicology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; France; Organotins; Survey; Seafood safety; Ocean and human health; Speciation; Dietary exposure; Human; Pollutant behavior; Toxicity; Oral administration; Seafood; Heavy metal; Health and environment; Health hazards; Tin Organic compounds; Public health; Organic stannane; Organic compounds; Food
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.08.027

Fish and fishery products are considered as the main source of organotin compounds (OTC). Unfortunately, little national contamination data is available to assess food exposure of organotins from French consumers. To provide a more accurate estimate of risks to human health, the butyltin, phenyltin and octyltin compounds sampling in four French coastal areas were measured in 159 composite samples (96 fresh and frozen fish, 28 mollusks, 14 crustaceans, 1 echinoderm, 11 canned foods, 4 smoked fish, 5 prepared seafood-based dishes) by capillary gas chromatography coupled with a microwave induced plasma atomic-emission spectrometer (CGC–MIP-AES). In these samples, butyltins were usually predominant and the range of the contamination levels was generally below those of earlier studies (fish: mean 5.6; min–max 1.1–23 μg/kg; fishery products: mean 6; min–max 0.8–14 μg/kg). Fish, especially tuna, salmon, mackerel, saithe/coalfish and cod were largely the main contributors (38%) to the total organotin exposure. With the supplementary contribution of great scallop, surimi, squid and oysters, the exposure exceeded 50% in all. However, the utmost OTC exposure was lesser than 47% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake [EFSA (European Food Safety Agency). Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the food chain on a request from the Commission to assess the health risks to consumers associated with exposure to organotins in foodstuffs. (Question N°EFSA-Q-2003-110). The EFSA Journal, 102, 1–119, 2004. http://www.efsa.eu.int]. Nobody would exceed this limit. Finally, as this study has some limitations and since some other sources and health effects have not been clearly evaluated, it appears rational from public health and environmental viewpoints to continue to reduce the OTC levels in the environment.