Abstract
To evaluate the toxic effects of sublethal concentrations of the fungicide triphenyltinacetate (TPTAc), a prolonged toxicity study was made on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Fish were exposed to TPTAc concentrations ranging from 1 to 6 μg TPTAc/L for 28 and 18 days, respectively, using a flow-through exposure system. Hematological findings included an increase of the total number of erythrocytes and an elevated incidence of erythrocyte degradation stages at 4 μg TPTAc/L and higher. The hemoglobin content and the packed-cell volume increased as well at 4 and 1 μg TPTAc/L. Whereas the total number of leucocytes increased in fish exposed to 1 μg TPTAc/L, the number of leucocytes tended to decrease at higher concentrations. The percentage of lymphocytes within the differential blood cell count decreased. The histopathological examination of TPTAc-exposed fish showed a dose-related lymphocytic depletion of the spleen, accompanied by a proliferation of reticuloendothelial cells and an increased erythrophagia even at the lowest TPTAc concentration. In severe cases, cell necrosis was evident. In liver tissue, a depletion of the glycogen deposits within the hepatocytes could be detected in fish exposed to 4 and 6 μg TPTAc/L. The analysis of the phenyltin compounds within various organs of fish by HRGC-FPD revealed remarkable concentrations of triphenyltin of up to 16.1 μg/g with the following order of residue levels: liver > kidney > spleen > gills > muscle. Di- and monophenyltin were found only in traces of 1–109 ng/g in these organs. The present study indicates that TPTAc negatively affects rainbow trout in a concentration range that might be present in aquatic environments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alabaster JS (1969) Survival of fish in 164 herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, wetting agents and miscellaneous substances. Int Pest Control 11:29–35
Brüschweiler BJ, Würgler FE, Fent K (1995) Cytotoxicity in vitro of organotic compounds to fish hepatoma cells PLHC-1 (Poeciliopsis lucida). Aquat Toxicol 32:143–160
Fent K, Hunn J (1991) Phenyltins in water, sediment, and biota of freshwater marinas. Environ Sci Technol 25:956–963
Fent K, Hunn J (1995) Organotins in fresh water harbors and rivers: Temporal distribution, annual trends and fate. Environ Toxicol Chem 14:1123–1132
Fent K, Meier W (1994) Effects of triphenyltin on fish early life stages. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 27:224–231
Fent K, Lowas R, Hunn J (1991) Bioaccumulation, elimination and metabolism of triphenyltin chloride by early life stages of minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus). Naturwissenschaften 78:125–127
Gray BH, Porvaznik M, Flemming C, Lee LH (1986) Tri-n-butyltin aggregates and membrane cytotoxicity in human erythrocytes. Oceans '86, Conference Record 4:1234–1239
Gray BH, Porvaznik M, Flemming C, Lee LH (1987) Tri-n-butyltin: A membrane toxicant. Toxicology 47:35–54
Jackson LF, Webster RK, Wick CM, Bolstad J, Wilkerson JA (1977) Chemical control of stem rot of rice in California. Phytopathology 67:1155–1168
Jarvinen AW, Tanner DK, Kline ER, Knuth ML (1988) Acute and chronic toxicity of triphenyltinhydroxide to fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) following brief or continuous exposure. Environ Poll 52:289–301
Laughlin RB, Guard HE, Coleman WM (1986) Tributyltin in seawater: speciation and octanol-water partition coefficient. Environ Sci Technol 20:201–204
Maguire RJ, Carey JH, Hale EJ (1983) Degradation of the tri-n-butyltin species in water. J Agric Food Chem 31:1060–1065
Negele RD, Schwaiger J (1992) Untersuchungen zur Wirkung von Zinnorganylen auf Fische—dargestellt am Beispiel Tributylzinnoxid (TBTO). Münchner Beiträge zur Abwasser-, Fischerei- und Flußbiologie 46:477–492
Nishida H, Matsui H, Sugiura H, Kitagaki K, Fuchigami M, Inagaki N, Nagai H, Koda A (1990) The immunotoxicity of triphenyltin chloride in mice. J Pharmacobio-Dyn 13:543–548
Schaefer CH, Miura T, Dupras EF, Wilder WH (1981) Environmental impact of the fungicide triphenyltin hydroxide after application to rice fields. J Econ Entomol 74(5):597–600
Schwaiger J, Bucher F, Ferling H, Kalbfus W, Negele RD (1992) A prolonged toxicity study on the effects of sublethal concentrations of bis(tri-n-butyltin)oxide (TBTO): Histopathological and histochemical findings in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Aquat Toxicol 23:31–48
Seinen W, Helder T, Vernij H, Penninks A, Leeuwangh P (1981) Short term toxicity of tri-n-butyltinchloride in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson) yolk sac fry. Sci Tot Environ 19:155–166
Stäb JA, Cofino WP, Hattum van B, Brinkmann UAT (1993) Comparison of GC/MSD and GC/AED for the determination of organotin compounds in the environment. Fresenius J Anal Chem 347:247–255
—, —, —, — (1994) Assessment of transport routes of triphenyltin used in potato culture in the Netherlands. Analyt Chim Acta 286:335–341
Tas JW (1993) Fate and effects of triorganotins in the aqueous environment. Diss., University Utrecht
Tas JW, Opperhuizen A, Seinen W (1990) Uptake and elimination kinetics of triphenyltin hydroxide by two fish species. Toxicol Environ Chem 28:129–141
Tooby TE, Hursey PA, Alabaster JS (1975) The acute toxicity of 102 pesticides and miscellaneous substances to fish. Chem Ind 21:523
Triebskorn R, Köhler HJ, Körtje KH, Negele RD, Rahmann H, Braunbeck T (1994) Evaluation of bis(tri-n-butyltin)oxide (TBTO) neurotoxicity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). II. Ultrastructural diagnosis and tin localization by energy filtering transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM). Aquat Toxicol 30:199–213
Tsuda T, Aoki S, Kojima M, Harada H (1990) The influence of pH on the accumulation of tributyltin chloride and triphenyltin chloride in carp. Comp Biochem Physiol 95:151–153
—, —, —, — (1991) Accumulation of tri-n-butyltin chloride and tripenyltin chloride by oral and via gill intake of goldfish (Carassius auratus). Comp Biochem Physiol 99C:69–72
Vries de H, Penninks A, Snoeij N, Seinen W (1991) Comparative toxicity of organotin compounds to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) yolk sac fry. Sci Total Environ 103:229–243
Wester PW, Canton JH (1987) Histopathological study of Poecilia reticulata (guppy) after long-term exposure to bis(tri-n-butyltin)oxide (TBTO) and di-n-butyltindichloride (DBTC). Aquat Toxicol 10:143–165
Wester PW, Canton JH, Van Iersel AAJ, Kraajnc EI, Vaessen HAMG (1990) The toxicity of bis(tri-n-butyltin)oxide (TBTO) and di-n-butyltindichloride (DBTC) in the small fish species Oryzias latipes (medaka) and Poecilia reticulata (guppy). Aquat Toxicol 16:53–72
Yoshizuka M, Hara K, Yokoyama M, Mori M, Doi Y, Kawahara, Fujimoto S (1992) Studies on the hepatotoxicity induced by bis(tributyltin)oxide. Arch Toxicol 66:182–187
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schwaiger, J., Fent, K., Stecher, H. et al. Effects of sublethal concentrations of triphenyltinacetate on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 30, 327–334 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212290
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212290