Butyltins concentration levels and imposex occurrence in snails from the Sicilian coasts (Italy)

Two sampling campaigns have been carried out along the Sicilian coasts within the frame of a European project (Hic-TBT) financed by the LIFE programme. Snails and sediments have been sampled at 5 stations, characterised by very low (Ustica natural sea reserve), low (Ustica harbour), intermediate (Ca...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemosphere (Oxford) 2003, Vol.50 (3), p.311-319
Main Authors: Chiavarini, S., Massanisso, P., Nicolai, P., Nobili, C., Morabito, R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Antifouling paints
Applied ecology
Biological and medical sciences
butyltin
butyltins
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on protozoa and invertebrates
Environmental Monitoring
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gastropoda
Gastropods
Hexaplex trunculus
imposex
Male
Mediterranean Sea
Sediments
Sex Characteristics
Snails
Trialkyltin Compounds - analysis
Trialkyltin Compounds - toxicity
Tributyltin
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Summary:Two sampling campaigns have been carried out along the Sicilian coasts within the frame of a European project (Hic-TBT) financed by the LIFE programme. Snails and sediments have been sampled at 5 stations, characterised by very low (Ustica natural sea reserve), low (Ustica harbour), intermediate (Castellamare and Termini Imerese) and high shipping densities (Palermo). Biological and chemical analyses were carried out in order to evaluate the incidence of imposex occurring in snails, and the concentration levels of organotins in sediment and snail samples. Despite the low organotin concentration levels in sediment and snail samples, the results show that imposex is widespread around Sicily. In four locations almost all female snails were affected by imposex at advanced development stages, even in areas with a fairly low shipping density. Only in the natural sea reserve of Ustica Island imposex was relatively less severe. Finally a logarithmic correlation between TBT and imposex stages was observed.
ISSN:0045-6535
1879-1298
DOI:10.1016/S0045-6535(02)00601-X