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Temporal Trend of Butyltins in Seawater, Sediments, and Mussels from Busan Harbor of Korea Between 2002 and 2007: Tracking the Effectiveness of Tributylin Regulation

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Abstract

Butyltins were determined in seawater, sediments, and mussels (Mytilus edulis) collected from Busan Harbor, the largest commercial harbor in Korea, to assess the contamination status and the effectiveness of tributylin (TBT) restriction. TBT concentrations were found to be 7.6 ± 8.3 ng Sn/L in seawater, 387 ± 606 ng Sn/g dry weight (wt) in sediments, and 322 ± 167 ng Sn/g dry wt in mussels, and are comparable to those in the largest harbors worldwide. TBT levels were highest at locations near shipyards and related facilities. Busan Harbor was characterized by the long-term history of butyltin contamination, based on the lowered TBT/DBT ratios in environmental matrices. The temporal trend of TBT levels decreased significantly in seawater and mussels from 2002 to 2007, probably as a consequence of the legislative action in Korea (MOE Regulation 154/2000). However, TBT in sediments did not show any trend, suggesting a long half-life for TBT, about 17 years, in sediments.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by a grant from the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI; RP-2009-ME-49), Korea. We thank Drs. Rae-Hong Jung and Seong-Gil Kim for their valuable comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Environment Research Division, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), 408-1, Sirang-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, 619-705, Korea

    Minkyu Choi, Hyo-Bang Moon, Jun Yu, Ji-Yeong Eom & Hee-Gu Choi

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  1. Minkyu Choi
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  2. Hyo-Bang Moon
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Correspondence to Minkyu Choi.

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Choi, M., Moon, HB., Yu, J. et al. Temporal Trend of Butyltins in Seawater, Sediments, and Mussels from Busan Harbor of Korea Between 2002 and 2007: Tracking the Effectiveness of Tributylin Regulation. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 58, 394–402 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-009-9428-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-009-9428-2

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