Tributyltin (TBT) has been widely employed in marine anti-fouling paints as a biocide, although it represents a serious risk, particularly in estuarine and coastal water/sediment ecosystems. In this study, the embryotoxic eects of TBT and its degradation products, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), were analyzed during the development of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus from post-fertilization to the pluteus stage, to better clarify eco- toxicological impact. The embryotoxicity of butyltins is concentration-dependent and increa- ses proportionally with number of butyl groups. Signi®cant growth reduction was observed at TBT concentrations as low as 0.01 mg lÿ1; 1 mg lÿ1 was the maximum concentration allowing embryos to reach the pluteus stage at 48 h post-fertilization. Development was blocked at the morula or blastula stage with higher TBT concentrations. DBT and MBT are less toxic: slo- wed development and a decrease in pluteus size occurred at 10 mg lÿ1 DBT and 0.5 mg lÿ1 MBT. Eects on both skeletal deposition and blocked embryonic development are suggested to be due to the interference of organotin compounds with intracellular calcium homeostasis.
Embryotoxicity of butyltin compounds to the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus Lmk.
Moschino V;
2000
Abstract
Tributyltin (TBT) has been widely employed in marine anti-fouling paints as a biocide, although it represents a serious risk, particularly in estuarine and coastal water/sediment ecosystems. In this study, the embryotoxic eects of TBT and its degradation products, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), were analyzed during the development of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus from post-fertilization to the pluteus stage, to better clarify eco- toxicological impact. The embryotoxicity of butyltins is concentration-dependent and increa- ses proportionally with number of butyl groups. Signi®cant growth reduction was observed at TBT concentrations as low as 0.01 mg lÿ1; 1 mg lÿ1 was the maximum concentration allowing embryos to reach the pluteus stage at 48 h post-fertilization. Development was blocked at the morula or blastula stage with higher TBT concentrations. DBT and MBT are less toxic: slo- wed development and a decrease in pluteus size occurred at 10 mg lÿ1 DBT and 0.5 mg lÿ1 MBT. Eects on both skeletal deposition and blocked embryonic development are suggested to be due to the interference of organotin compounds with intracellular calcium homeostasis.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
