High tributyltin contamination in sediments from ports in Indonesia and Northern Kyushu, Japan

Abstract

Sediment samples were collected from 20 stations in the port areas around three cities (Jakarta, Bali and Manado) in Indonesia in 2011 and from 9 stations in the port areas in northern Kyushu, Japan in 2010. High concentrations of tributyltin (TBT) were found in sediments collected in front of the shipyard in Bitung port, Manado (4.25 &μg/g wet weight) and in Benoa port, Bali (0.21 fig/g wet weight). High TBT concentrations were also detected in sediments from next to the shipyard in Hakata port (0.63fig/g wet weight), Fukuoka, Japan. These results suggest that ports might be major sources of TBT pollution in Indonesia and Japan, even though TBT usage has been regulated in Japan since 1990.