208
R. Frache . P. Rivaro
The general results of this investigation are the following. In the sea water in the
examined months, butyltin compounds were detected in all the samples; no phenyltin
species were revealed. As shown in Fig. 10.6, seasonal variation in concentrations was
found: TBT showed highest concentrations in summer while DBT and MBT had their
maxima in February.
The species distribution pointed out that TBT represented 59-70% of the total organic Sn in autumn and winter, and ranged from 33 to 43% in spring. Looking at the
partitioning between dissolved and particulate phases, reported in Fig. 10.7, it can be
seen that butyltin compounds were predominantly in the dissolved matter in all the
months excepting TBT in July, and the total organic Sn was found inversely correlated
with particulate matter in the samples.
In Fig. 10.8 the butyltin trends found in the mussel tissues are reported. Among the
tissues, gills showed the highest organotin concentrations. Total tissues and gills presented the same TBT trends with a maximum in September and February and a minimum in December, while digestive glands had a different trend in summer and auo~----~----~----~----~----~
Jul
Sep
Oct
Dec
Feb
May
R. Frache . P. Rivaro
The general results of this investigation are the following. In the sea water in the
examined months, butyltin compounds were detected in all the samples; no phenyltin
species were revealed. As shown in Fig. 10.6, seasonal variation in concentrations was
found: TBT showed highest concentrations in summer while DBT and MBT had their
maxima in February.
The species distribution pointed out that TBT represented 59-70% of the total organic Sn in autumn and winter, and ranged from 33 to 43% in spring. Looking at the
partitioning between dissolved and particulate phases, reported in Fig. 10.7, it can be
seen that butyltin compounds were predominantly in the dissolved matter in all the
months excepting TBT in July, and the total organic Sn was found inversely correlated
with particulate matter in the samples.
In Fig. 10.8 the butyltin trends found in the mussel tissues are reported. Among the
tissues, gills showed the highest organotin concentrations. Total tissues and gills presented the same TBT trends with a maximum in September and February and a minimum in December, while digestive glands had a different trend in summer and auo~----~----~----~----~----~
Jul
Sep
Oct
Dec
Feb
May