TOXICITY OF TRIBUTYLTIN TO SOME BIVALVE SPECIES

Tributyl tin oxide (TBTO) has been recognised as a serious health haza rd. Edible green mussel Perna viridis was highly sensitive to TBTO (LC 50/28 d = 0.28 mug.l-1). The oyster species Saccostrea cucullata on th e other hand possessed good tolerance to TBTO (LC50/28 d = 10 mug.l-1) . Fouling mussel Mytilopsis sallei has been found to show very high to lerance to TBTO (LC50/28 d = 13 mug.l-1). It was also observed that th e amount of TBTO determined as inorganic tin, bioaccumulated by P. vir idis and S. cucullata were inversely proportional to the concentration s of TBTO to which they were exposed.