• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.753-762
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• 2003

Butyltin compounds (BTs), namely tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), were measured in surface sediments collected in 2001 inside Hallim Harbor where a lot of shipping occurs as one of major harbors of Jeju Island, in order to evaluate their distribution. BTs were detected in surface sediments of all stations and their concentrations were comparable to those in surface sediments of other sites of domestic and foreign countries. The main species among BTs was MBT, although there was a little difference with a survey site. No correlations were obtained between organic matter or particles size of surface sediments and total BTs, indicating that these factors did not affect on the distribution of BTs. It was estimated that more complex factors including BTs loads and surrounding sedimentary environments, affected on the distribution of BTs. The high correlations between BTs indicated that DBT and MBT were mainly degraded from TBT based on antifouling paints of vessel etc. and other sources, such as DBT and MBT, could be ignored. The butyltin degradation indexes ([DBT] + [MBT]/[TBT]) Ivere in the range of 1.5∼3.3 (mean 2.5), indicating that the parent compound, TBT, were inflowed into the surface sediments a long years ago and degraded.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.360-368
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• 2009

Tributyltin (TBT) use has been prohibited by the IMO (International Maritime Organization), as well as Korea, since 2003. This prohibition has affected a gradual reduction in TBT use in maritime environs (seawater, sediment, and biosamples) in several countries. In this study, Crassostrea gigas (oyster) and Tapes philippinarum (manila clam) were chosen and measured for butyltin compound concentrations to verify TBT pollution levels since its 2003 ban. Specimens were taken directly from farms for concentration measurement, where Crassostrea gigas and Tapes philippinarum are cultivated, as well as prevalent locations predicted to have been polluted. Concentrations of MBT, DBT, and TBT of Crassostrea gigas were measured to be N.D -N.D., N.D. -N.D., and N.D. -60.21 ng Sn $g^{-1}$ (wet wt), respectively. Regarding Tapes philippinarum, MBT, DBT, and TBT were N.D. -12.27 ng Sn $g^{-1}$ (wet wt), N.D. -45.95 ng Sn $g^{-1}$ (wet wt), and N.D.-7.30 ng Sn $g^{-1}$ (wet wt), respectively. For this research, a correlative study was conducted to determine butyltin compound concentration in Crassostrea gigas at the locations where measurements were made in 1994 to determine to what extent TBT pollution level decreased. A decrease in all 7 sites was observed. In 4 of the 7 samples, butyltin compounds were measured to be below the detection limit, while that of the Tapes philippinarum did not appear high compared to foreign research data.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.655-665
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• 2011

Contamination of butyltin compounds (BTs), namely tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), was evaluated in sediments collected inside Jeju Harbor in 2001. The concentrations of BTs in surface sediments were comparable to those in other sites of domestic and foreign countries. The high correlations between BTs in surface ($r^2$ = 0.83~0.91) and core ($r^2$ = 0.70~0.79) sediments and the significant correlations between BTs concentrations and the number of incoming and outgoing vessels indicated that DBT and MBT were mainly degraded from TBT based on antifouling paints of vessels etc. and other sources, such as DBT and MBT, could be ignored. The butyltin degradation indices ([DBT] + [MBT]/[TBT]) in surface sediments were in the range of 2.2~3.6 (mean 2.7), indicating that the parent compound, TBT, was inflowed into the surface sediments a long ago, degraded and deposited. The sedimentation age of BTs contaminated core sediments could not estimated because the content of $^{210}Pb$ activity was nearly all the same and so the sedimentation rate could not obtained.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.1141-1153
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• 2005

Butyltin compounds (BTs), namely tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), were measured in surface and core sediments collected in 2001 inside Seogwipo Harbor, in order to evaluate their distribution characteristics. Seogwipo Harbor is one of major harbors of Jeju Island where a lot of shipping occurs and is designated as a trade port by the Korea Maritime and Port Law. BTs were detected in surface and core sediments of all stations and their concentrations in surface sediments were low, compared with to those in other sites of domestic and foreign countries. The main species among BTs was MBT, although there was a little difference with a survey site in surface sediments and in core sediments with depth. No or low correlations were obtained between organic matter or particles size of surface and core sediments and total BTs, indicating that these factors did not affect the distribution of BTs. It was estimated that more complex factors including BTs loads and surrounding sedimentary environments, affect the distribution of BTs. The high correlations between BTs indicated that DBT and MBT were mainly degraded from TBT based on antifouling paints of vessel etc. and other sources, such as DBT and MBT, could be ignored. The butyltin degradation indices ([DBT]+[MBT]/[TBT]) in surface sediments were in the range of $2.0\~3.8$ (mean 3.0), indicating that the parent compound, TBT, were inflowed into the surface sediments a long years ago, degraded and deposited. The sedimentation age of BTs contaminated core sediments could not estimated because the content of $^{210}pb$ activity were nearly all the same and so the sedimentation rate could not obtained.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1508-1512
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• 2004

A gas chromatography/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method has been developed for the determination of trace mono-n-butyltin (MBT), di-n-butyltin (DBT), and tri-n-butyltin (TBT) compounds in sediments. Samples were extracted by 10% acetic acid in methanol containing 0.03% tropolone and were then derivatized for GC/MS analysis. Ethylation by sodium tetraethylborate and phenylation by sodium tetraphenylborate were evaluated as a derivatization reaction of the organotins in sample extract. n-Hexane was added into reaction media in the beginning of the reaction for the continuous extraction of derivatized organotins. Ethylation requires less than 2 hours to get proper derivatization yields for MBT, DBT, and TBT altogether and produces relatively low amounts of side reaction products. Compared to ethylation, phenylation requires much longer time but provides relatively lower yield and produces considerable amounts of side reaction products. Therefore, the ethylation reaction was applied for the analysis of organotin compounds in sediment. An isotope dilution mass spectrometric (IDMS) method based on GC/MS has been applied to the accurate determination of DBT compounds in the sediments. The IDMS results from the analyses of sediment samples showed a reasonable repeatability and a good agreement with the values obtained by IDMS based on liquid chromatography/induced coupled plasma/mass spectrometry.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.406-411
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• 2011

To investigate the effects of short-term treatment with tri-n-butyltin chloride (TBTCl) and bisphenol A (BPA) on the reproduction of striped field mice, the mice were intramuscularly injected with TBTCl or BPA immediately before the reproductive season and examined in the reproductive season after keeping them for 4 months. As a result, there were no differences between the control and the compound-treated groups regarding body weight in both sexes, the residual levels of the compounds in the adult males, and the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and the histological structures with LM and EM of the testes and epididymides in both the adult and young males. The infant mortality and abortion rate, however, were high in the TBTCl-treated groups and BPA-treated groups respectively, compared to the control group. Conclusively, it was suggested that short-term treatment with TBTCl or BPA in mice in the non-reproductive season might have inhibited the development of the uterine embryos or fetuses, although it did not induce accumulations of these compounds or affect the reproductive organs of adult and young (F1) males.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2001

Tributyltn, triphenyltin and their degradation products were quantitatively determined in sediments, seawater, and oysters (Crassostrea gigas) collected from Okpo Bay, Korea where a huge shipyard was located. The concentrations of TBT in sediment and oyster were in the range of 5∼2,050 ng/g and 387∼1,190 ng/g (astin on a dry weight basis), respectively. In seawater, it ranged from 19 to 84 ng/ℓ The distribution of TBT compound showed negative gradient from inner to outer bay, which indicates that the shipyard is the point source of TBT contamination in the bay. The contribution of TBT to butyltin concentration in sediment was above 57%. The pattern of TBT distribution was influenced by waterbreak transected the bay. TPhT concentration in oyster ranged from nd (not detected) to 52 ng Sn/g dry wt., whereas that in sediment and seawater was below detection limit. The biological concentration factor (BCF) in oyster was 1.1×10⁴.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22
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• pp.63-70
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• 2004

Tributyltin (TBT) and its degradation products, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) were quantitatively determined in surface sediments and two molluscan species, Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and rock shell (Thais ctavigera), from Gwangyang Bay, Korea. Butyltin compounds were detectable in almost all sediment and biota samples. Tributyltin concentrations in surface sediment ranged<2∼33 ng g$\^$-1/, which is at a lower end of TBT concentrations in industrialized bays in Korea. However, TBT levels in sediments were related to boating activities around the bay. In biota samples, TBT concentrations were in the range of 178∼2,458 ng g$\^$-1/ toy oyster and 47∼236 ng g$\^$-1/ for rock shell. Relatively high TBT concentrations in biota were found near wharves for fisherboats and harbor areas. About 90∼100％ of the female T. clavigera displayed imposex, and relative penis length index of the imposexed-female was in the range of 20.9∼107.9％. Furthermore, TBT body residue had a significant positive relationship with degree of imposex in T. clavigera. Overall, TBT concentrations in Gwanyang Bay were much lower than other major bays in Korea.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.82-89
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• 2002

Butyltins (BTs) were measured in 2 species of shellfish and 16 species of fish collected along the Korean coast. Tributyltin (TBT) was detected in the mussels and oysters of sentinel organisms (20 to 940 ng Sn/g dry wt), indicating widespread contamination of TBT in the Korean coast. The elevated concentrations of TBT in the shellfish found in the sites near harbors or shipyards suggested that antifouling paints are probable major sources of butyltins in these areas. The TBT compound was detected in 12 out of 16 fish samples. The concentrations of TBT in fish muscles wee between 7 and 151 ng Sn/g dry wt, while the level in whole body of anchovy was very high (793 ng Sn/g dry wt). Exposure doses to Korean people via consumption of these marine products wee evaluated. The results suggested that the environmental levels of TBT were below the level of concern.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2008

The prohibition of usage of tributyltin (TBT) compounds and the legal usage of new antifouling agents have changed the Korean costal environments in recent. 39 sampling sites of southwestern tidal flats were chosen in order to investigate the concentration of antifouling agents, and results in 2006 were compared with previous results in 1998. The concentrations of TBT compounds in most of sites except Incheon (It1) have been drastically decreased. Interestingly, In Jebudo (Jt2), Mokpo(MOt4) and Suncheon(SUt3) sites were detected as below the limit of detection and it is because of the legal restriction of TBT compounds. However, in most of the sampling sites in Korea, new antifouling agents, viz. Irgarol 1051, Dichlofluanid and Chlorothalonil, were detected. In particular, Irgarol 1051 was detected with high concentrations. In Jebudo (Jt4), a high concentration of Irgarol 1051 of 159.45 ng $g^{-1}$(dry wt) was detected. We were able to observe that the concentration of TBT compounds are has gradually been reduced whereas the new major antifouling agents are easily detected in most Korean tidal flats.