Alkyltins in farmed fish and shellfish

The organotin contaminants in food: Sources and methods for detection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Organotin compounds in low doses have toxic effects. These components may contaminate food. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the type and level of organotin in food that are mainly contaminated with these compounds, as well as common detection methods. The research studies with keywords Organotin, Tributyltin, TBT, Food, Detection, Contamination, and Pollution were searched in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases, regardless of publication time. Two author independently investigated the publications. A number of 123 studies were obtained and only 9 articles were finally selected according to exclusion and inclusion criteria. Studies were selected which organotin components were detected in the food matrix. The important data were extracted. Meta-analysis was calculated for the amount of TBT in seafood. The most important of these compounds are TBT, TPhT, Dibutyltin (DBT) and di-n-octyltin (DOT). Surveys were conducted on three continents, Europe, America and Asia. Contaminated foods reportedly included seafood and edible oils, according to studies. TBT was investigated more than other tin components in food. The overall average estimate for TBT in seafood was estimated at 182.33 ng/g that This amount was more than maximum limit. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to treat the wastewater so that these harmful compounds do not reach the water of sea.

Contamination by hazardous substances in the Gulf of Naples and nearby coastal areas: a review of sources, environmental levels and potential impacts in the MSFD perspective

During the 7th FW EU Programme, a large group of research institutions with a strong tradition in marine science designed PERSEUS, a policy-oriented, marine research project aimed at identifying human-derived pressures and their impacts in the Southern European Seas. PERSEUS is about gathering and analyzing the data on our marine ecosystems and developing recommendations to assist policy makers in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). In its initial phase, the project focuses on the analysis and evaluation of human pressures in selected coastal areas across the Mediterranean and Black Seas. This paper reports on the results about the chemical pollution pressure in the Gulf of Naples, one of the sites selected for the analysis, and surrounding waters of the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. Based on a systematic up-to-date literature review, the paper brings together for the first time the available information on the presence, severity and distribution of contaminants on the site. In spite of methodological and sampling heterogeneity among studies, this review compiles the data in a harmonized and effective way, so that the current status, knowledge gaps and research priorities can be established. Thus, the review wishes not only to provide a contribution to the scientific community, but also to help to extract recommendations for mitigating pollution sources and risks in the area of concern. A similar process of analysis may be carried out for other areas and pressures in order to facilitate policy making at the European level.

Butyltin compounds in fish commonly sold in north of Iran

Levels of tributyltin (TBT) and its degradation products, mono (MBT) and dibutyltin (DBT), were monitored in fish commonly consumed in Iran. Samples were purchased from fish markets at seasonal intervals in 2010 along the North coast of Iran. Concentration of MBT, DBT and TBT in the muscle of these fish were in the range of n.d. -1.01 ± 0.84, n.d. -0.33 ± 0.26 and n.d. -4.31 ± 0.95 ngg(-1) (wet weight), respectively. Residue levels of butyltins were found lower than the tolerable average residue level of 100 ngg(-1) (wet weight).

Butyltin compounds in human liver

Intake of marine food is the main source of butyltin exposure in humans. Health effects following exposure to butyltin compounds are usually in the immune system, but endocrine effects of butyltin from a variety of marine species have been documented. The information on human exposure to butyltin compounds and hepatic deposition is limited. The present study include 18 consecutively sampled human livers analyzed for butyltin compounds. Dibutyltin (DBT) concentrations varied between 0.8 and 28.3 ng/g with a mean concentration of 9.0 ng/g. Significantly lower concentrations of monobutyltin (MBT) were observed, ranging from 0.3 to 4.7 ng/g with a mean value of 1.6 ng/g. Age and DBT/MBT ratio were significantly associated. We suggest that younger men have more recent exposures or have a lower capacity to debutylate DBT than older men and would therefore potentially be more susceptible to butyltin toxicity. Given the interperson variability observed in our limited group of men, we cannot exclude that thresholds for either immunotoxicity or effects on the endocrine system may occur due to exposure to butyltin compounds alone or in combination with other environmental toxicants with similar target organs.