Distribution of butyltin and derivatives in oyster shells and trapped sediments of two estuaries in Cantabria (Northern Spain) Original Research Article

Distribution of butyltin compounds (BTs) and derivatives (monobutyltin, MBT; dibutyltin, DBT and tributyltin, TBT) was analysed in Crassostrea gigas oyster shells and the sediments trapped in the shell chambers, from two different estuaries in Cantabria (Northern Spain), with very different environmental conditions, where previous data have not been reported. Inorganic tin analysis in oyster shells was performed in order to study the degradation of BTs. Shell thickening and losses in biological growth are related with the presence of TBT, and were determined using three morphological indexes. Total BTs concentrations, expressed as Sn, ranged from 18.0 ng g−1 to 176.7 ng g−1 in sediments, and from 2.4 ng g−1 to 11.1 ng g−1 in oyster shells. Total inorganic tin concentrations ranged from 1775.0 ng g−1 to 4781.3 ng g−1 in oyster shells. The amount of BTs in oyster shells has been associated with the concentrations in the sediments trapped in the shell chambers. Partition coefficients between oyster sediments and oyster shells show the affinity of BTs by the sediments and the higher inorganic tin in oyster shells does not seem to be related to the BTs pollution.