Acute toxicity of tributyltin to encapsulated embryos of a marine gastropod

The marine gastropod Buccinanops globulosus is known to have high imposex incidence in areas moderately polluted by tributyltin (TBT). Acute toxicity was previously studied in adults but no information is known about embryonic intracapsular development. To estimate the potential effects of organotin pollution on the progeny of B. globulosus, acute toxicity tests were conducted on encapsulated and excapsulated pre-hatching embryos. The lethal median concentration estimated for 96 h (LC50 96 h) in B. globulosus excapsulated embryos was 196.70 µg TBTCl L−1, while in encapsulated embryos it was 2951.28 µg TBTCl L−1. The LC50 96 h was 15-fold higher for encapsulated embryos compared to excapsulated embryos, denoting egg capsule protection against pollutants from the external environment. Our results show that TBT pollution can have significant effects in molluscs other than the chronic effect of imposex.Fil: Averbuj, Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Primost, Monica Angelina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Giulianelli, Sebastian Jesus. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Bigatti, Gregorio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Sede Puerto Madryn; Argentin