Aquatic organotin pollution in Taiwan

J Environ Manage. 2009 Feb:90 Suppl 1:S8-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2008.06.008. Epub 2008 Oct 18.

Abstract

The current status of aquatic organotin pollution in Taiwan is reviewed. In freshwater sediments and biota, especially in rice-field related habitats, phenyltins (PTs) were dominant among the organotin pollutants, whereas butyltins (BTs) were usually predominant in marine environments. Among the marine habitats, contamination levels were found to be in the descending order of harbour and estuary>fish cultural site>coastal>offshore>coral reefs. Imposex snails were observed in all the sampling years (1990-2003). Meanwhile, organotin concentrations were greater in winter than those in summer, whereas proportions of PTs were much higher in summer than in winter. Due to the lack of continuous monitoring data, the effectiveness of the ban on TPT usage in agriculture in 1999 and the prohibition of TBT use on small boats in 2003 is still not known.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Oceans and Seas
  • Organotin Compounds / chemistry*
  • Organotin Compounds / toxicity
  • Taiwan
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity

Substances

  • Organotin Compounds
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical