Stability studies of endocrine disrupting tributyltin and triphenyltin compounds in an artificial sea water model

Gen Physiol Biophys. 2018 Jan;37(1):93-99. doi: 10.4149/gpb_2017051.

Abstract

Triorganotins belong to toxic components present predominantly in antifouling paints for marine vessels. Tributyltin/triphenyltin at pico- or nanomolar concentrations in sea water are known to induce an irreversible sexual abnormality in females of over 190 marine species, an "imposex" phenomenon - the superimposition of male genitalia on a female. Moreover, trialkyltins and triaryltins function as potent nuclear retinoid X receptors (RXR) agonists. In mammals, triorganotin compounds induce immunosuppressive, metabolic, reproductive or developmental effects. Toxic effects of triorganotins warrant the need for monitoring of their long-lasting presence in the environment. This study brings novel data on the stability of two triorganotin compounds in artificial sea water model obtained by applying ultra-pressure liquid chromatography (UPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. Stability of tributyltin and triphenyltin chlorides was studied for 180 days and the degradation kinetic parameters were obtained. Tributyltin chloride was the less stable with the degradation kinetic parameters Kdeg = 0.00014 day-1 and t1/2 = 4950 days (13.6 years). Kdeg of the more stable triphenyltin chloride was determined to be Kdeg = 0.00006 day-1 with t1/2 = 11550 days (31.6 years). Since similar stability data of triorganotin compounds were not published previously, we report high stability for both tested compounds, which indicates a significant environmental problem when these substances enter sea water and later coastal sediments.

MeSH terms

  • Drug Stability
  • Endocrine Disruptors / analysis
  • Endocrine Disruptors / chemistry*
  • Kinetics
  • Organotin Compounds / chemistry*
  • Seawater / analysis
  • Seawater / chemistry*
  • Trialkyltin Compounds / chemistry*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry*

Substances

  • Endocrine Disruptors
  • Organotin Compounds
  • Trialkyltin Compounds
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • tributyltin
  • triphenyltin