Bioconcentration and elimination of bis(tributyltin)oxide (TBTO) and triphenyltin chloride (TPTC) in several marine fish species

Pagrus major, Mugil cephalus and Rudarius ercodes were exposed to bis(tributyltin)oxide (TBTO) and triphenyltin chloride (TPTC) for 8 weeks in a flow-through aquarium system. The bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of TBTO and TPTC and the elimination rate constant of TBTO for these fish were determined. The BCF of TBTO ranged from 2400 to 11,000 depending on the fish species and the concentration in the rearing seawater. Out of the three, P. major had the smallest elimination rate constant (0.024 day⁻¹) and bioconcentrated the largest amount of TBTO (BCF: 9400–11,000). On the other hand, the BCF of TPTC of the two fish species examined was similar: 3100–3300 for P. major and 4100 for R. ercodes. These BCFs of TBTO and TPTC of P. major were larger than the values previously reported. TBTO and TPTC were the least accumulated in muscle among the tissues and organs of P. major examined, and no correlation was found between the lipid content and the accumulated TBT or TPT content.