CONTAMINATION BY BUTYLTIN COMPOUNDS AND ORGANOCHLORINE RESIDUES IN GREEN MUSSEL (PERNA-VIRIDIS, L.) FROM THAILAND COASTAL WATERS

In order to elucidate marine pollution by butyltins and organochlorine residues in coastal waters of Thailand, green mussels (Perna viridis) were collected in 1994 and 1995 and analyzed. Butyltin compounds, suc h as tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MET), were detected in most mussel samples, ranging from 4 to 800 ng g(-1) wet wt (as total). The composition of butyltin derivatives in green mussel w as in the order of TBT > DBT > MBT. The results indicated that butylti n contamination was widespread, particularly in high boating areas and in coastal aquaculture facilities. Concentrations of organochlorine r esidues were much lower than of butyltin compounds. Among organochlori ne residues examined, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane compounds (DDTs) were found to be the highest, followed by polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs) > chlordane compounds (CHLs) > hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) > h exachlorobenzene (HCB). To our knowledge, this is a first report on th e detection of butyltin residues in Thailand coastal waters. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.