Toxicity, bioaccumulation, and interactive effects of organotin, cadmium, and chromium on Artemia franciscana

The effects of three organotin compounds-trimethyltin chloride, dimethyltin dichloride, and dibutyltin diacetate-and two heavy metals-cadmium and hexa valent chromium-on Artemia franciscana mortality are investigated in this s tudy. Of all the compounds tested in this work, trimethyltin chloride was, by far, the most toxic. The toxicity order for the five compounds was trime thyltin chloride > potassium dichromate > dimethyltin dichloride > dibutylt in diacetate > cadmium chloride. The big difference in toxicity between dia lkyltin and trialkyltin was not accompanied by an equally big difference in bioaccumulation. At a Sn concentration in water of 10 mg/L, the bioconcent ration factor was 50 for dimethyltin dichloride and 75 for trimethyltin chl oride. At a Sn concentration in water of 100 mg/L, the bioconcentration fac tor for 6 for dimethyltin dichloride and 9 for trimethyltin chloride. The i nteractive effect of trimethyltin chloride and cadmium, as well as that of trimethyltin chloride and chromium, was found to be synergistic. Also found to be synergistic was the interactive effect of trimethyltin chloride with cadmium and chromium applied together. (C) 2001 Academic Press.