Degradation of tributyltin in San Diego Bay, California, waters

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00154a006· OSTI ID:7000142

Seligman, P F; Valkirs, A O; Lee, R F

Several experiments were carried out to determine the degradation rate of tributyltin (TBT) in microcosms containing harbor water. Unlabeled or /sup 14/C-labeled tributyltin was added to water samples collected from two stations in San Diego Bay, CA. Degradation rates were determined by calculating the rate of loss of the added parent TBT compound. Calculated half-lives in water collected from a yacht harbor (ambient concentration was 0.5 ..mu..g of TBT/L) were 6 and 7 days for light and dark treatments, respectively. Half-lives from a clean-water site (< 0.03 ..mu..g of TBT/L) were 9 and 19 days for light and dark treatments, respectively. The principal degradation product in all experiments was dibutyltin with lesser amounts of monobutyltin. Complete mineralization, measured by the formation of /sup 14/CO/sub 2/, proceeded slowly with a half-life of 50-75 days. Tributyltin at high concentrations (744 ..mu..g/L) was not degraded in sunlight, indicating that photolysis was not taking place and that biological degradation was the primary degradative process for TBT at low ambient concentrations.

• Research Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, CA
• OSTI ID: 7000142
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 20:12; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
550501 -- Metabolism-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BIODEGRADATION
CALIFORNIA
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION IX
HARBORS
INFORMATION
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
MINERALIZATION
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
TIN COMPOUNDS
USA