Publication Abstract

Butylin compounds in liver tissue of pelagic marine mammals stranded on coasts of England and Wales

R.J. Law and S.J. Blake

In a recent paper, data were reported for butyltin compounds in liver tissues from seals and porpoises inhabiting the coastal waters of England and Wales (Law et al., 1998). Concentrations of tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT), and monobutyltin (MBT) were determined in the livers of stranded or bycaught grey seals Halichoerus grypus and harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena. Summed concentrations of these three compounds ranged up to 640 gg kg^-1 wet weight, with lower concentrations being found in seals than porpoises. These data indicate that butyltin contamination is widespread in marine mammals around England and Wales, and taken with other data worldwide suggest that these compounds may now be ubiquitous in coastal areas frequented by shipping. In order to assess the extent of butyltin contamination in other marine mammal species, the earlier study has been extended to pelagic marine mammal species feeding over the outer areas of the continental shelf and the continental slope, and in deep ocean waters. These data are reported here.

Reference:

R.J. Law and S.J. Blake. 2001. Butylin compounds in liver tissue of pelagic marine mammals stranded on coasts of England and Wales. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 38: 1258-1261