Contamination by Organotins and Its Population-Level Effects Involved by Imposex in Prosobranch Gastropods

Abstract

A history of the production and use of organotin compounds is briefly introduced. The worldwide use of tributyltin (TBT)- or triphenyltin (TPhT)-based antifouling paints since the mid-1960s has caused extensive contamination in the aquatic environment, especially in the marine environment, which led to contamination of aquatic organisms by these compounds and became a concern in terms of both seafood safety and ecotoxicology. Legislation of TBT- and TPhT-based antifouling paints began in Europe and the U.S.A in the 1980s and in Japan in 1990. An International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships (AFS Convention) for the worldwide ban of TBT- and TPhT-based antifouling paints came into force on 17 September 2008. Organotins have various toxicities to vertebrates and invertebrates; imposex is known to be induced in many gastropod species by TBT and also by TPhT released from antifouling paints on ships and fishing nets. Reproductive failure may be brought about in severely affected stages of imposex, resulting in population decline or mass extinction. Population-level effects involved by imposex and similar phenomena are described in the rock shell (Thais clavigera), the ivory shell (Babylonia japonica), and the giant abalone (Haliotis madaka), with special reference to tissue distributions of TBT, TPhT and their metabolites.