7091

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7091
• Author: Eisler, R.
• Title: Tin Hazards to Fish, Wildlife, and Invertebrates
• USFW Year: 1989.
• USFW - Doc Type: A Synoptic Review.
• Copyright Material: NO

SUMMARY
Tin (Sn) has influenced our life style for the past 5,000 years. Today
we are exposed to tin on a daily basis; including tinplated baby food cans;
alloys such as pewter, bronze, brass, and solder; and toothpaste containing
stannous flouride. These inorganic tin compounds are not highly toxic due to
their low solubility, poor absorption, low accumulation, and rapid excretion.
Synthetic organotin compounds, however, first manufactured commercially in the
1960's, may present a variety of problems to animals, including impaired
behavior and reduced growth, survival, and reproduction. Some
triorganotins--for example, in antifouling marine paints, in molluscicides,
and in agricultural pesticides--can be harmful to sensitive species of
nontarget biota at recommended application protocols.
Background concentrations of organotin compounds are frequently
elevated--occasionally to dangerous levels--in aquatic organisms collected
near marinas and other locales where organotin-based antifouling paints are
extensively used. But more information is needed on background concentrations
of organotins, especially those from terrestrial ecosystems.
Tributyltin compounds are especially toxic to aquatic organisms. Adverse
effects were noted at concentrations of 0.001 to 0.06 ug/l on molluscs and at
0.1 to 1.0 ug/l on algae, fish, and crustaceans. In general, bioconcentration
of organotins from seawater was high, especially by algae, but degradation was
sufficiently rapid to preclude food chain biomagnification. In contrast,
current environmental concentrations of some organotins are not likely to be
directly toxic to birds and mammals. Birds seem to be relatively resistant to
organotins, although data are scarce. Preliminary studies of 75 days duration
suggest that diets containing 50 mg tin as trimethyltin chloride/kg were fatal
to ducklings; 5 mg/kg killed 40%, and 0.5 mg/kg was not lethal. Trimethyltin
compounds were lethal to other species of birds tested at doses of 1 to 3
mg/kg body weight. Other tests with ducklings and eleven other mono-, di-,
tri-, and tetraalkyltin compounds at dietary levels equivalent to about 50 mg
Sn/kg showed no adverse effects on survival. Small laboratory mammals were
adversely affected by trimethyltin compounds at doses as low as 0.15 mg/l in
drinking water (learning deficits), 0.63 mg/kg body weight (diet aversion),
and 1.25 mg/kg body weight (death); neurotoxicological effects of
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