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Tributyltin
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Tributyltin
Tributyltin (TBT) is an umbrella term for a class of organotin compounds which contain the (C4H9)3Sn group, with a prominent example being tributyltin oxide. For 40 years TBT was used as a biocide in anti-fouling paint, commonly known as bottom paint, applied to the hulls of oceangoing vessels. Bottom paint improves ship performance and durability as it reduces the rate of biofouling, the growth of organisms on the ship's hull. The TBT slowly leaches out into the marine environment where it is highly toxic toward nontarget organisms. TBT toxicity can lead to biomagnification or bioaccumulation within such nontarget organisms like invertebrates, vertebrates, and a variety of mammals. TBT is also an obesogen. After it led to collapse of local populations of organisms, TBT was banned.
TBT, or tributyltin, tributylstannyl or tributyl stannic hydride compounds are organotin compounds. They have three butyl groups covalently bonded to a tin(IV) atom. A general formula for these compounds is (CH3CH2CH2CH2)3Sn−X. The −X is typically a chloride −Cl, hydroxide −OH, or a carboxylate RCO2−, where R is an organyl group. TBT is also known to be an endocrine disrupting compound, which influences biological activities such as growth, reproduction and other physiological processes.
TBT compounds have a low water solubility, a property that is ideal for antifouling agents. The toxicity of TBT prevents the growth of algae, barnacles, molluscs and other organisms on ships hulls. When introduced into a marine or aquatic environment, TBT adheres to bed sediments. TBT has a low Log Kow of 3.19 – 3.84 in distilled water and 3.54 for sea water, this makes TBT moderately hydrophobic. TBT compounds have a high fat solubility and tend to absorb more readily to organic matter in soils or sediment. The bioaccumulation of TBT in organisms such as molluscs, oysters and dolphins, have extreme effects on their reproductive systems, central nervous systems and endocrine systems. However, the adsorption of TBT to sediments is reversible and depends on pH level in the body of water.
TBT has a half-life of one or two weeks in marine water. When it accumulates in sediments its half life is about 2 years. TBT often bonds to suspended material and sediments, where it can remain and be released for up to 30 years. Studies have shown that 95% of TBT can be released from the sediments back into the aquatic environment. This absorption process can complicate quantification of TBT in an environment, since its concentration in the water is not representative of its availability.
Tributyltin (TBT) compounds are biocides. TBT's antifouling properties were discovered in the 1950s in the Netherlands by van der Kerk and coworkers. It prevents microorganisms from settling on the hull of a ship and poisons the organisms that end up settling. By the mid-1960s, it had become the most popular anti-fouling paint around the globe. TBT was mixed into paints to extend the life of antifouling coatings and ships were able to continue operations for a longer time frame. The paints ensured fuel efficiency and delayed costly ship repairs. It is also relatively inexpensive.
TBT is also an ingredient in some disinfectants, for example in combination with quaternary ammonium compounds. Additionally, TBT has been used in the fertilizer, textile, and wood industries. It has antifungal properties that make it useful for both the production of textiles and wood preservation, and in the creation of biocides for paired use with fertilizers.[citation needed] Another use of TBT is that they were used as stabilizers in compounds like polyvinyl chlorides. Due to this usage of TBT, there are a variety of consumer products where traces of TBT can be found, like in textile fabrics, plastic polymers, silicon, and many more.
The effects of antifouling paint go beyond the organisms that it is intended to kill. By poisoning barnacles, algae, and other organisms at the bottom of the food chain, the bioaccumulation of TBT increases over time affecting more and more of the bottom feeders of the aquatic food web environment, which are mainly invertebrates and are affected by TBT. There is a slight biomagnification of TBT that has been demonstrated in the lower part of the marine food chain (i.e., planktonic organisms, invertebrates, and fishes). However, the biomagnification of TBT into larger marine animals such as marine mammals is debatable. Toxic effects in some species occur at 1 nanogram per liter of water. Air pollution from TBT has not been noticed or considered significant enough to effect the environment. In the water, photodegradation and microorganisms can break down TBT and leach into the soil sediments.
As TBT is most often used as a biofouling agent, it bioaccumulates in marine wildlife such as molluscs, with levels being higher in organisms and sediments in and around areas of high maritime activity, such as ports and harbours. The bioaccumulation increases over time, leading to a biomagnification in organisms higher up the food chain, although the biomagnification is not that considerable in size. As TBT can remain in the environment for up to 30 years due to often bonding to suspended material and sediments, it can remain in an ecosystem for a very long time. This means that bioaccumulation readily occurs in marine environments, which can lead to very high amounts of TBT being accumulated, especially in smaller organisms at the bottom of the food chain, which in turn has various health effects.
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Tributyltin
Tributyltin (TBT) is an umbrella term for a class of organotin compounds which contain the (C4H9)3Sn group, with a prominent example being tributyltin oxide. For 40 years TBT was used as a biocide in anti-fouling paint, commonly known as bottom paint, applied to the hulls of oceangoing vessels. Bottom paint improves ship performance and durability as it reduces the rate of biofouling, the growth of organisms on the ship's hull. The TBT slowly leaches out into the marine environment where it is highly toxic toward nontarget organisms. TBT toxicity can lead to biomagnification or bioaccumulation within such nontarget organisms like invertebrates, vertebrates, and a variety of mammals. TBT is also an obesogen. After it led to collapse of local populations of organisms, TBT was banned.
TBT, or tributyltin, tributylstannyl or tributyl stannic hydride compounds are organotin compounds. They have three butyl groups covalently bonded to a tin(IV) atom. A general formula for these compounds is (CH3CH2CH2CH2)3Sn−X. The −X is typically a chloride −Cl, hydroxide −OH, or a carboxylate RCO2−, where R is an organyl group. TBT is also known to be an endocrine disrupting compound, which influences biological activities such as growth, reproduction and other physiological processes.
TBT compounds have a low water solubility, a property that is ideal for antifouling agents. The toxicity of TBT prevents the growth of algae, barnacles, molluscs and other organisms on ships hulls. When introduced into a marine or aquatic environment, TBT adheres to bed sediments. TBT has a low Log Kow of 3.19 – 3.84 in distilled water and 3.54 for sea water, this makes TBT moderately hydrophobic. TBT compounds have a high fat solubility and tend to absorb more readily to organic matter in soils or sediment. The bioaccumulation of TBT in organisms such as molluscs, oysters and dolphins, have extreme effects on their reproductive systems, central nervous systems and endocrine systems. However, the adsorption of TBT to sediments is reversible and depends on pH level in the body of water.
TBT has a half-life of one or two weeks in marine water. When it accumulates in sediments its half life is about 2 years. TBT often bonds to suspended material and sediments, where it can remain and be released for up to 30 years. Studies have shown that 95% of TBT can be released from the sediments back into the aquatic environment. This absorption process can complicate quantification of TBT in an environment, since its concentration in the water is not representative of its availability.
Tributyltin (TBT) compounds are biocides. TBT's antifouling properties were discovered in the 1950s in the Netherlands by van der Kerk and coworkers. It prevents microorganisms from settling on the hull of a ship and poisons the organisms that end up settling. By the mid-1960s, it had become the most popular anti-fouling paint around the globe. TBT was mixed into paints to extend the life of antifouling coatings and ships were able to continue operations for a longer time frame. The paints ensured fuel efficiency and delayed costly ship repairs. It is also relatively inexpensive.
TBT is also an ingredient in some disinfectants, for example in combination with quaternary ammonium compounds. Additionally, TBT has been used in the fertilizer, textile, and wood industries. It has antifungal properties that make it useful for both the production of textiles and wood preservation, and in the creation of biocides for paired use with fertilizers.[citation needed] Another use of TBT is that they were used as stabilizers in compounds like polyvinyl chlorides. Due to this usage of TBT, there are a variety of consumer products where traces of TBT can be found, like in textile fabrics, plastic polymers, silicon, and many more.
The effects of antifouling paint go beyond the organisms that it is intended to kill. By poisoning barnacles, algae, and other organisms at the bottom of the food chain, the bioaccumulation of TBT increases over time affecting more and more of the bottom feeders of the aquatic food web environment, which are mainly invertebrates and are affected by TBT. There is a slight biomagnification of TBT that has been demonstrated in the lower part of the marine food chain (i.e., planktonic organisms, invertebrates, and fishes). However, the biomagnification of TBT into larger marine animals such as marine mammals is debatable. Toxic effects in some species occur at 1 nanogram per liter of water. Air pollution from TBT has not been noticed or considered significant enough to effect the environment. In the water, photodegradation and microorganisms can break down TBT and leach into the soil sediments.
As TBT is most often used as a biofouling agent, it bioaccumulates in marine wildlife such as molluscs, with levels being higher in organisms and sediments in and around areas of high maritime activity, such as ports and harbours. The bioaccumulation increases over time, leading to a biomagnification in organisms higher up the food chain, although the biomagnification is not that considerable in size. As TBT can remain in the environment for up to 30 years due to often bonding to suspended material and sediments, it can remain in an ecosystem for a very long time. This means that bioaccumulation readily occurs in marine environments, which can lead to very high amounts of TBT being accumulated, especially in smaller organisms at the bottom of the food chain, which in turn has various health effects.
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