Assessment of the bioaccumulation and biodegradation of butyltin compounds by Thalamita crenata in Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan

•Contents of TBT and its metabolic products were determined in Thalamita crenata that collected from the Kaohsiung Harbor.•Higher TBT concentration was found in muscle of T. crenata whereas the higher metabolites were observed in hepatopancreas.•By the estimates of BDI and BSAF, T. crenata shows slow degradation ability of TBT and relatively strong TBT accumulation.

Butyltin compounds (BTs) are considered as endocrine disruptors or environmental hormones. It has been applied as an antifouling paint in marine vessel, and extensively in commercial, industrial and agricultural applications. In order to investigate the decomposition and accumulation of BTs in benthic crustacean, concentrations of BTs including TBT (tributyltin) and its metabolic products, i.e. MBT (monobutyltin) and DBT (dibutyltin), accumulated in Thalamita crenata in Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan were analyzed. The analysis results indicate different concentrations of BTs contained in hepatopanceas and muscle for the crustacean trapped at different locations. Additionally, concentration and composition of BTs found in the crustacean hepatopanceas and muscle also show differences. Hepatopancreas has higher concentrations of BTs than muscle; the BTs contained in hepatopancreas are mostly metabolic products of BTs, whereas the muscle contain higher concentrations of TBT. By the estimates of BDI (butyltin degradation index) and BSAF (biota-sediment accumulation factors), T. crenata shows slow degradation ability of TBT and relatively strong TBT accumulation. The sources of BTs accumulated in T. crenata include harbor sediment and the food that contains BTs.